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One of TV's best shows now has a superb tie-in book--and this watcher's guide is even better than the one for The Simpsons. For novices, the title is a pun: Buffy, an ordinary high school girl with all the normal problems, also must spend her nights battling vampires and demons, supervised by her "Watcher," who poses as the school's librarian.
But the book serves novices and obsessive Buffy fans equally well. Each episode of the first two seasons gets a snappy yet learned summary, including a "Quote of the Week," a quick recap of each love entanglement and relationship switcheroo (and no soap opera is tanglier than Buffy), a "Pop-Culture IQ" guide (when Oz hunts for Buffy--who's been turned into a rat--that's Michael Jackson's "Ben" he's singing), countless pop-up balloons of fun facts (Buffy was turned into a rat in order to free up her schedule to host Saturday Night Live), and a catalog of "Buffy's Bag of Tricks"--her weapons, plus all the spells, chants, incantations, and previously incomprehensible rock-band lyrics on the show.
There's way more than we can list here. Not only do we get an ample sample of dialogue nearly as clever as Seinfeld's, there are scenes from the original scripts that were cut for length and cast interviews. Every single vampire, demon, witch, zombie, mummy, werewolf, shape shifter, ghost, reanimated cadaver, invisible killer, prehistoric parasite, monster puppet, and psychotic robot on Buffy's acrobatic dance card gets its due.
Get this book, then send one as a gift. Friends don't let friends miss out on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Book Description
As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, to find them where they gather and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their members. She is the Slayer.
Exclusive Interviews, Totally Pointy Profiles, Behind-the-Scenes Info, and Other Buff-stuff About the Hit Show.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, Nicholas Brendon, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Juliet Landau, Mark Metcalf, Robia La Morte, Armin Shimerman, Joss Whedon, and more!
Love Bytes: Boy meets Girl, Girl meets Monster: does anyone live?
A Walking Tour of Sunnydale's Hot Spots (both of them)
The Slayer Handbook (according to Buffy Summers)
Character Guide -- who knew what and when?
Monster Guide -- vampires vs. Bezoars: who's deadlier?
Special Guest Stars -- John Ritter?!
Playlist -- what song did Buffy and Xander slow dance to?
Don't Try This at Home -- an interview with the show's stunt coordinator!
Bonus! Never-filmed dialogue from the original scripts!
Never-seen, behind-the-scenes photos -- Seth Green in makeup, Xander's closet, those icky fish guys!
The Monsters, The Mythology, The Villains, The Victims, The Fashion
Don't be caught dead without The Watcher's Guide.
Customer Reviews:
Not the best, but a must have for any avid fan.......2004-05-25
This isnt the best book if you're looking for a behind the scenes one. But it is great when it comes to quotes. Behind the Scenes is more in the 2nd volume.
This has an excellent array of quotes from seasons 1 and 2(which is what this book covers). It also has pretty good episode reviews, with some deleted scenes usually showing up along with some unknown facts.
But it also has some information that I found boring, which included a tour of Sunnydale.
But on the whole, not to bad of a book.
Pretty interesting though a bit lightweight.......2003-12-06
I like the books by Kenneth Topping a lot more than the official guides. They are more fun, more informative, and because they aren't "official" can be fans more than authors maintaining an official relationship with the show. But having said that, this and its companion volume are both really informative. And although I knew all the quotes anyway, it was a lot of fun reading them all. The best part of the book is the interviews with people you normally don't hear as much about, like set designers and associate producers and such.
One of the few essential Buffy books for the serious fan.......2003-08-24
Any serious fan of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER will want this book on their shelf, along with its sequel THE WATCHER'S GUIDE II. The first volume contains a wealth of information about the first two seasons, while the second does the same for Seasons Three and Four. Unfortunately, there has not yet appeared a volume for the last three seasons. Hopefully that will be forthcoming.
These volumes are valuable for a variety of reasons. First, the early sections give a summation of each major character along with a collection of humorous quotations. It then proceeds to an episode-by-episode summation, which is great because it provides a lot of information that is otherwise not that easy to obtain. But far and away the best part of the book--for me, anyway--is the final section, which contains a host of great and informative interviews with actors, directors, writers, and technical folk. This final section is great because while Joss Whedon is widely acknowledged to be the main creative force behind BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, he has always ruled with a light hand. BUFFY is clearly a team effort, and it is great to see the roles the various team players play in the construction of the series.
Although the final episode of BUFFY has been shot, I hope this won't dissuade the publishers from producing a final WATCHER'S GUIDE to cover the final three seasons. I ardently believe that BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is the new STAR TREK. Just as STAR TREK managed to attract more and more new fans over the decades, I believe that BUFFY will have an ever expanding fan base, as more and more people are persuaded to give it a try. The shows of the seven seasons will be in syndication for years, each season will be available on DVD within the next year and a half, and spin offs like ANGEL and the other projects that have been mentioned will keep the interest in BUFFY alive for years.
"She Is The Chosen One....".......2003-02-15
Who would of thought that a mediocre box office flop starring Kristy Swanson from 1992 would turn into such a brilliant, groundbreaking television show?. My guess is no one. This guide to the first two seasons of this show will go down as one of the best TV show guides ever assembled. Fans will treat it as if it were their own special bible. That said, this is the number one starting point to go too to get the info on the show, the characters, and all of the background you could want. Authors Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder(who both write book for 'Buffy')outdo themselves with one incredible job. Here is what this amazing book gives you. It gives you a complete guide to the first two seasons of shows. That's 34 episodes, since the first season was a mid season replacement of only 12 episodes instead of the usual 22. These sections give you the cast list for every episode, as well as a pretty in-depth description of each episode. You also get the "quote of the week" which has some of the best lines from that episode. There is "Love, Slayer Style" which tells you what, or any, romantic things pop up in the episode. There is a section called "Pop Culture I.Q." which notes a line in the episode that would deal with something in, you guessed it, pop culture. "Buffy's Bag Of Tricks" tells what kinds of weapons or other things were used in the ep. "Continuity" details of things that are continued in an episode that were introduced in other episodes. Storylines, characters, or whatever. There are also times where they will includes dialogue from the original screenplay that wasn't used in the episode aired. You will also find little boxes with little bits and pieces of trivia and/or other interesting little facts. But before you get to the episode guide, you go through a little history of the town of Sunnydale. After that is the history of each character in the series, and that part ends with some choice dialogue moments from each character. The other important aspect to the show are the monsters. The demons. The vampires, and other nasties that lurk on this show. There is a 'Monster Guide' section that details the various beasties that have popped up in these first two seasons and given a little backstory on them as well. Anyone out there who is into the spells and chants and incantations on the show will be happy because there is a section talking about these three things and given snippets of chants and spells recited in the show. The other thing that runs rampant thru the show is love and relationships. There is a section called "Bloodlust" that deals with all of us. There are so many ups and downs in the 'love' department on this show, that those things could have a book all on it's own. The end of the book has biographies on the cast members and a brief interview with some of them. After the cast members, there are sections on crew members and some interviews with them. And if you like the music, the end of the book has the songs featured in every episode and tells you the name of the song and the name of the band/artist. If this isn't enough, there is also a nice helping of some great colored photos. This is a must have for anybody. Perfectly done and put together. The follow up, "The Watcher's Guide Vol.2" is the next step. It's even bigger and better than this one. I believe a "Vol. 3" will be out in the fall. Get this book. You can't go wrong. As perfect as they get.
Hanging out in the Library.......2003-01-23
For several years now, I have avoided buying this Watcher's Guide and its companion volume for seasons three and four. I'm not quite sure why - perhaps it was a last ditch effort to avoid the admission that I am an unregenerate Willow-holic. "After all," thinks me, "I have the DVD's, so who needs another reprise of the episodes?"
Surprisingly enough, the descriptions of the episodes take only 40 pages out of 298 dedicated completely to the ground Buffy walks on and the air that Willow breathes. And everything else seasons one and twoish. There's intro to Buffy 101, a guide to living in Sunnydale, character, and monster guides, and a section on being in love on the Hellmouth.
The section I like best is a series of articles and reviews on the cast, creative staff and crew. Until I saw the extras on the DVD's I somehow believed that Joss Whedon waved a magic wand and a new episode popped fully formed from his forehead. It's quite a revelation to understand the colossal effort it takes to create each Buffy episode. From research and writing to make-up and stunts, every one has to be at their peak during a rushed and grueling shooting schedule.
Chock full of enough facts and quotes, this is the book to make you into a walking Buffy-pedia. The perfect tool to impress your friends and dash the hopes of your competition. Even if you feel you have been deserted for a werewolf. This is a fun book, put together by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder, the reigning king and queen of Buffy literature. A tiny but slapdash, but full of enthusiasm for the surprising success of a show about people who have all the issues of growing up absurd AND have to deal with a continuous flow of the creepies.
Average customer rating:
- excellent condition
- Awesome!!
- A great reference
- a must have!!!!!!!!!!!
- Good Buy
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The Watcher's Guide, Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Paul Ruditis , and
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Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 0689869843 |
Book Description
As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, to find them where they gather and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers.
From the first vampire staking to the last glimpse of Sunnydale, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a genre-busting hit, attracting millions of fans worldwide. The last three seasons ran the gamut from an episode without music to a musical episode, from the arrival of a teenage sister to the death of Buffy (again).
Now the third volume in this best-selling series of companions will break down every episode of seasons five, six, and seven -- from the villains and the victims to quotables and love bytes -- as well as take a wide-ranging look back at the entire run of the show.
Additional features:
• Flashback Foreshadowing: A line-by-line deconstruction of the portents in the season four finale, "Restless"
• "Lost" lines of dialogue, stage directions, and descriptions cut from the original teleplays
• The Trio's Pop-Culture Explosion: Mastering the references of Geek Speak
• Critical (and not-so) essays from a variety of contributors on topics from Buffy's romantic optimism to Dawn's unfulfilled potential
Seven years, 144 episodes, 3 Slayers, 3 principals, 2 networks, 2 vampires with souls, 2 Watchers, 2 pigs, 1 Master, 1 Mayor, and 1 hit show (with tons of Potentials): It all adds up to one must-have volume!
Customer Reviews:
excellent condition.......2007-04-11
The book itself was just like new. No dents or creases on the pages.
Awesome!!.......2007-01-12
I am a HUGE Buffy fan and this will make an awesome addition to my collection. Great condition and quick shipping! Thanks!
A great reference.......2006-11-05
Especially if you are writing about the series or something, and you want to know exactly when something happened or a reminder of some series of events, it really helps not to have to watch the whole season again. The essays were mediocre, but as a reference book - I'll probably have to order the other two too!
a must have!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-07-04
I must admit, I was never a Buffy fan until recently ( through syndication). So, I needed a quick reference to catch me up to speed as well as a episode guide/timeline to explain the ones I missed.
I have to say, I was very pleased! It contained an episode
guide for seasons 5-7 , quotes, and other little extras. Although it does not have alot of behind the scenes interviews as the previous two, it was still well worth the cash. I was very happy with it!
And if you'd consider taking advice from a newbie, choose this over the unoffical editions!
Good Buy.......2005-09-15
I love this product. It condition was great and it got here faster then i thought
Book Description
"I'm the Slayer. Slay-er. Chosen One? She who hangs out a lot in cemeteries?
Ask around. Look it up: 'Slayer comma The.'"
-- Buffy, "Doomed"
As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, to find them where they gather and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers.
Dig into it: all--new character profiles, episode guides, quotables, and more -- a fully updated volume filled with the latest dirt on your favorite cemetery-hopper!
The Mayor, Faith, Mr. Trick, Angel's return, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, snow in Sunnydale, Graduation Day, Zachary Kralick, the end of the world -- again!, Spike, Veruca, Tara, Riley, Maggie Walsh, The Initiative, Adam -- and much, much more!
The Buffyverse: The World According to Buffy Summers.
Everybody Hurts: In Sunnydale, love can be downright scary.
Anarchy in the USA: How Buffy and Giles came to be footloose and Council-free.
Power Girls: Buffy, Kendra, Faith -- wasn't it supposed to be "Chosen One?"
BONUS: Creating Buffy: From brainstorm, to script, to genius on the small screen -- with a few tiny detours along the way.
Go behind the scenes for Season Four's pivotal episode "The I in Team" and catch all the action, from scouting locations to running lines with the stellar cast to music editing -- it's all inside!
THE GUYS, THE GALS, THE LORE, THE LINGO
The chillingly complete WATCHER'S GUIDE VOLUME 2 will slay you
Customer Reviews:
A Good Guide To Go By.......2004-03-24
I found 'The Watcher's Guide 2' a very interesting book. Not only did it have great detail about the main characters, but special guest stars as well (in character that is). I also found the choice of photos refreshing since they are not the same photos you seem to see everywhere.
Wow- -Unbelievably Bad.......2003-07-16
Like the title says--Unbelievably Bad. Its an official companion to the show, and it sucks. Bit Me--An Unofficial Guide is so much better and much more worth the money. This is pretty much straightforward, spoiler packed, boring takes on the show and its characters. Bit Me, has interesting things about each episode, such as mistakes to look for, while this, just tells about each episode and goes on to the next. This has half page summaries of the characters, while Bite Me has sever pages per, including a summary of Buffy from the Movie to the planning of the show, all the way through the change of networks. i must say, this was one of the most worthless things I've ever bought.
The Bible to seasons 3 and 4.......2003-06-19
The Watcher's guide vol 2 is a definite improvement on the first. It is more geared to the adult viewer and fan and fully covers season 3 and 4 of BtVS.
It is a more indepth review of the actors, characters, behind the scenes workers and of course the episodes. It does an especially good job with the Season 4 finale (restless)- which is confusing and full of symbolic meaning, allusions and prophecy. It also gives us an indepth behind the scenes view of what goes into making a Buffy episode (the I in team).
The book is also filled with great photos and ilustrations. It is a great book for all Buffy fans, and even the casual viewer will appreciate all the nuances that are involved in each episode. Buy this book!
The Agony and the Ecstasy.......2003-02-16
If it was the end of Season 2 that made it clear that Joss Whedon's little fancy of a young Slayer and her doughty band of misfits was a force to be contended with, it was the following two seasons that demonstrated the ability of BTVS to baffle its critics and make original dramatic statements completely beyond the range of standard teen fare. Volume 2 of The Watcher's Guide is a giant concatenation of all that went into the making of those two years. From props to folks, and every kind of critter in between.
This is the time when love blossoms and falls on its face - the spectacular Zander/Willow/Cordelia/Oz breakup playing counterpoint to the winding down of Buffy's relationship with Angel. Then graduation, college, the Initiative and even more strange relationship vibes. The appearance of Riley, Anya, and Tara. The repercussion of these two seasons are still echoing years later, so watching them and learning their backgrounds are required reading for the Buffy fanatic [in my case it's Willow fanatic]
Partially, this is a repeat of Volume 1's style with more details, fewer quotes and a whole lot of interviews. Of course, it is quite a bit thicker. Some of which is explained by the presence of more glossy photos, but a major component is the writers' compulsive expenditure of energy on lengthy interviews. This is a good, not a bad. Moreover, very little is a rehash of the Volume 1 articles. One of my pet likes was the planning of all the staff interviews around the production of Episode 13 from Season 4, 'The I in Team.' It introduces all the people who never get on film, and provides a mini-lesson on what goes into the making of an episode. As I said, if you are going to be a fan you have to read these. So put down the stakes and rest in your coffins with a good book.
Even better than the first Watcher's Guide!.......2002-12-30
While the first Watcher's Guide was almost like a test for the Buffy audience to see if such a book would appeal to them, this second Watcher's Guide is written on the author's knowledge of the success of the first!
Its format is much like that of the first Watcher's Guide with a detailed episode guide and interesting explanations of Joss Whedon's pop culture references in the show. As Season 4 became more complex than previous seasons, this book is an essential and informative guide that will help viewers to understand the meanings of such episodes as "Restless" as well as pick up on smaller things that they may have missed.
It also includes exclusive information about the makeup and behind-the-scenes work done on Buffy including photos of the cast backstage, which is always interesting. There are several pages of colour photos throughout the book which are also a good item to have for any die-hard Buffy fan.
The only gripe I have about this book is that I would have loved to have seen more quotes!! The writing is one of my favourite parts of the TV show so I would have liked to have seen them show off some off Joss' best work! Other than that, this book is a great read for any Buffy fan with a lot of time on their hands; it's a fair bit longer than the first Watcher's Guide but that's just more fascinating information on the show to learn about!
A must-have for any Buffy fans, and it is an obvious addition to the first Watcher's Guide if you already own that one. I say, bring on Watcher's Guide 3!
Product Description
The Official Companion to the Hit Show
Average customer rating:
- More of the same for the final Watcher's Guide but also less
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Watcher's Guide: Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher's Guides (Tandem Library))
Paul Ruditis
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding
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ASIN: 1417632372 |
Customer Reviews:
More of the same for the final Watcher's Guide but also less.......2005-01-16
First, for those who were wondering, this is the third and final volume in "The Watcher's Guide," the official companion to the late and lamented television cult show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Whereas the first two volumes dealt with a pair of seasons of the series, Volume 3 covers the final three seasons of "BtVS." Again you will find each episode covered in terms of writer(s) and director, complete cast list of guest stars and co-stars, Plot Summary, Quote of the Week, Love in Vein (keeping track of the complicated and often disastrous love lives of the Scooby gang), Pop-Culture IQ (explaining the popular pop-culture references embedded in the episode), Continuity (covering the twists and turns in the Buffyverse), Dramatis Personae (tracking the key personality traits in the main characters), and From the Original Teleplay (dialogue and humorous stage directions cut from the episode). At the start of each season there are a page of freeze frames from all twenty-two episodes; a list of episode numbers, names and original U.S. airdates, and the stars listed in the opening credits. In between seasons six and seven you will find a section devoted to the "Pop Culture Explosion" in season six when the Trio worked in all those references to movies, television, comic books, "Star Wars," "Star Trek," and anything else that came into their warped little minds.
However, fans of the first two volumes of "The Watcher's Guide" are probably going to be disappointed by what else is in this volume. In comparison to what we have seen before, the information about "BtVS" is considerably less. There are neither character guides nor cast profiles, or sections by the writers or crew (and the spine is blue rather than black, as long as we are talking about differences). The rest is that by the standard established by the previous volumes of "The Watcher's Guide" this third one will suffer in comparison and long time fans are going to be disappointed. However, that does not stop "The Watcher's Guide, Volume 3" from being a necessary part of our "BtVS" library.
Volume 3 is put together by Paul Ruditis, who previously put together a "Star Trek: Voyager Companion" and has written novels for the television shows "Enterprise," "Charmed," and "Sabrina." Ruditis does the duty alone, which may explain why the second half of the book comes off in a new direction. The second half of the book consists of a series of essays devoted to the series as whole and not just on the final trio of seasons: Ginger Buchanan's "The Journey of Joanathan Levenson: From Scenery to Sacrifice" covers the interesting transformation of a recurring minor character into a "Superstar" and much more. Hank Wagner's The Family Hour" talks about how he shared watching "BtVS" with his children and finds deep thoughts in the series with regards to parenting.
Rob Francis' "London Calling: 'Buffy' from a British Perspective" explains the show's popularity in the U.K. despite having some American actors playing some of the Brits. Maryelizabeth Hart, who helped out on Volume 2, contributes "Slaying the Big Lies: Love Conquers All and Other Monstrous Myths," which looks at how love never seems to work out in the Buffyverse. Allie Costa's "A Part of Something: Or, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer': My First Long-Term Relationship," is a fan's recollection of being a fan. Scott and Denise Ciencin, "I Know You Are, But Who Am I?" provides an analysis of how Dawn fit into the show over this period. In "Why I Like 'Buffy'" Charles de Lint provides a justification for liking a show with such a weird title, which is certainly something those of us in academia can relate to in terms of trying to foist the show off on students and colleagues. James Moore's "Monsters Made to Order" briefly looks at the similar themes behind key monsters in the show's history.
The chief attraction in the back of the book is "'Restless': A Path to Premonitions," which has Joss Whedon's teleplay for the finale episode of the fourth season with commentary by Ruditis focusing on how Whedon set the stage for some key developments in what followed. For those of us who have figured out most of the connections, Ruditis does a nice job of filling in the gaps in our deconstruction of the episode. The final offering is Micol Ostow's "'Chosen': A Postmodern Postmortem of 'Buffy' as Contemporary Icon" looks at how well Whedon fulfilled his purpose of establishing a pop culture icon by flipping the horror movie standard of the blonde girl being slain by the monster in the dark alley.
Given all the academic collections being published about "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" these essays are relatively light reading. Buchanan's essay connects all the dots with regards to Jonathan as do the Ciencins with Dawn, and Francis uses interviews with cast members to provide more of what we expect to find in the back of a "Watcher's Guide." So overall the essays occupy a sort of dead zone in between the musings of doctors of philosophy that are out there and the behind the scenes information we were used to in the previous pair of volumes. Again, the only complain here is that there is less here than what we expected. This is probably our payback for suggesting maybe there was too much in Volume 2. That would teach us except that the series and these guides are obviously both over.
Amazon.com
Buffy the Vampire Slayer may be off the air, but the show lives on in the hearts of many obsessive and now desperate fans. This collection of two Watcher's Guides chronicles the series for seasons one through four, offering quotes, monster identification, plot summaries, and pop-cultural refernces for each and every delicious episode.
Book Description
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher's Guide Series (The Watcher's Guide 1, The Watcher's Guide 2)
For a limited time get two books in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher's Guide Series in one easy-to-order package.
Customer Reviews:
Learn About The Scooby Gang.......2005-02-12
These are really great source books for Buffy fans. The Watcher's Guide books not only answer your questons, there are also some great photos and quotes from the Scooby gang. Christopher Golden, Nancy Holder, and
Keith R.A. Decandido all did a wonderful job on these books.
Good books.......2004-08-17
The Watcher's Guides are good books, but you should know a few things before you buy volumes one and two as a set. (1) On Amazon, the books are cheaper separately. (2) The two volumes cover only the first four seasons of the show. There is now a third volume that covers seasons 5 thru 7. (3) There are other guides by different authors that cover more than four seasons in a single volume. (I think "Dusted" by Lawrence Miles and the newest Buffy guide from Keith Topping cover **all 7** seasons.)
The first two official companion volumes to "BtVS".......2004-05-23
With the third volume in of "The Watcher's Guide" coming out those of you who do not have the first two official companion volumes to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" need to pick them up. In the original volume of "The Watcher's Guide," authors Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder, along with Keith R. A. DeCandido, cover the first two seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Having written some of the best original "BtVS" novels, both together ("The Gatekeeper Trilogy") and individually ("The Lost Slayer" and "The Book of Fours"), Golden and Holder were the perfect candidates for the job. This is a thoughtful effort by and for people who celebrate one of the best shows on television, a series that combines exciting action sequences with caustic wit and exquisite teenage pathos.
Buffy episodes are covered in a very comprehensive but quite user-friendly format. The plot summaries are fairly brief, serving more as reminders for those who have seen that particular episode rather than a more detailed description of what has happened for those who had the misfortune of missing the program (but if you need more you can certainly find it on-line at several excellent Buffy sites). However, there are several running categories for each episode: Quote of the Week with the episode's most memorable line; Love, Slayer Style which keeps track on the romantic developments in the series; Pop-Culture I.Q. to translate the arcane references; and Continuity to cover references to past episodes or highlight what is down the road. Sometimes we are treated to scenes/dialogue cut from the original teleplay and/or Buffy's Bag of Tricks, which keeps track of her expanding repertoire of weaponry. You will usually find a couple of trivia boxes containing interesting tidbits about a particular episode.
The other significant strength of this collection is the hundred pages of Behind the Scenes material, consisting mostly of in-depth interviews with Joss Whedon along with the entire cast and crew. Other choice items dispersed throughout the pages are the Song Lists for the first two seasons; a list of spells, chants, and incantations not to try at home; and quips and quotations organized on a thematic basis. What impresses me is that every step of the way this book provides something more. There are the expected color photographs of the cast, but there are also color costume drawings. Along with the interview with stunt coordinator Jeff Pruitt there are sample storyboards for several fight sequences.
In "The Watcher's Guide, Volume 2" there are three major and two minor sections in focusing on seasons three and four of "BtVS." First there is the Buffyverse, which recaps what we need to know from the first two seasons of the series in terms of the whats and wheres, covers the main characters with choice quotes from each, and includes an interesting section on "The Pain" which explores the rich pathos of the series. Section two covers the episodes from seasons three and four by providing plot synopses, choice quotes, lines cut from the original teleplays, continuity concerns, pop-culture footnotes, and updates on "The Agony and the Ecstasy" dealing with the aforementioned pathos. The third section provides cast profiles, which are really a hit and miss compilation, with most of the regulars receiving brief treatment and then interviews of varying lengths and value with the rest, most of whom are guest stars. The use of interviews continues throughout the fourth section on the production side of Creating Buffy. The last two sections deal with "The Bands of Buffy" and "Merchandising."
The first volume of "The Watcher's Guide" offered 300 pages and while Volume 2 taps out closer to 500 but you do not really get the feeling you are getting that much more in terms of quality. When I look over this volume now I think I know why: It is not because the original team of Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder split up for him to do "The Monster Book" and her to do "The Watcher's Guide, Volume 2." It is because the second half of the book consists of interview transcripts and I think this comes across as being sort of the easy way out. There is some good information and stories in most of the interviews, but sure, a few of them are not worth the effort. You cannot fault Holder and her new cohorts Jeff Mariotte and Maryelizabeth Hart for being comprehensive, but taking more than one pass at each of these people might have been helpful. However, once again it is clear that "The Watcher's Guide" sets that standard by which all official companions to television shows should be judged.
Trick, Slay, and Death.......2004-04-16
These two books are both very good starter points, for any one who wants to become a Buffy fan. Both of the books have really terrific information on the series.
You really can not go wrong with them.
They both have great photos, quotes, character guides, and a whole lot more.
Very good tool for any Buffy geek. There great books for a plain trip or even just to curl up in bed with.
These books have more then you ever wanted to know about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her Scoobies.
I'm sure that after you check out these two books. Then you will want to start getting other Buffy items.
There are so many to pick from but make sure to get these though. There really isn't enough that I can say about them.
So just buy the dang books and enjoy!
Books:
- The Way Back to Mayberry: Lessons from a Simpler Time
- The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts
- The Worst Person in the World: And 202 Strong Contenders
- The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
- This Business of Television
- U. S. Infantry Weapons of the First World War
- Urban Shaman (The Walker Papers, Book 1)
- Waiting for Wings
- Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows
- When GOD Winks: How the Power of Coincidence Guides Your Life
Books Index
Books Home
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- The Rejection Collection: Cartoons You Never Saw, and Never Will See, in The New Yorker
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- The Metaknowledge Advantage: The Key to Success in the New Economy
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The Watcher's Guide, Volume 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
