Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4, Episode 19: New Moon Rising
Written by Marti Noxon; Directed by James A. ContnerThere's been a general trend this season: character episodes good, plot episodes not so good. This is very much one of the former - it includes a little of the latter, but the Initiative functions only as a catalyst for the main character issues of the episode, namely Oz's brief return and Willow choosing Tara over him. It's interesting to note that, whereas in later episodes Willow identified herself as fully gay (at least when the network finally allowed them to say the words "gay" and "lesbian"), she is pretty clearly portrayed at this stage as bisexual. It's odd that the writers would attempt to do such an about-turn later on, and one that makes little sense to me, since it gives the impression that she simply popped out her "straight" chip and popped in a "gay" chip, but I can, to some extent, understand why they did it, given the overwhelmingly positive response from lesbian viewers and the fact that it probably made it easier to make the statement they wanted to make. (At least until Joss "we're making an important social statement" Whedon turned into Joss "I don't care about the issues I brought up and never did" Whedon during Season 6.)
Oh yeah, and it didn't occur to me until watching The Yoko Factor that the only characters Willow actually "comes out to" are Buffy (voluntarily) and Oz (involuntarily). Everyone else hears about is second-hand, underscoring to the growing fragmentation of the main group and their lack of communication, which comes to a head in the very next episode.
After this episode, which finally spelled out what was going on clearly enough for even the most Neanderthal redneck to work out what was actually going on between Willow and Tara, the hate mail started pouring in, and Mutant Enemy, to their credit, stuck to their guns.
Anyway, very good episode. Solid acting, a palpable dilemma for Willow, and some surprisingly deft writing from the person who brought us the wreckage of Wrecked. Not so solid werewolf effects, but that's nothing new, and I can overlook it given the episode's other strengths. Technically, this is the last time any of the characters see Oz, although he does appear briefly in the final episode of the season in Willow's Dream. Farewell, stoic one!
Overall rating: 9/10.
Next time: The Yoko Factor.
6 Comments:
Quite a few gay people self-identify as bisexual initially, especially if they've just ended a hetero relationship. It cushions the shock if they are also in the process of coming out to themselves - convincing themselves that they weren't completely wrong about their sexuality.
Someone once termed this the 'bi now, gay later' scheme, which I find amusing.
By Baron Scarpia, at 23:12
Yes, that's the explanation that most people tend to go by. It's undoubtedly complicated territory, and I obviously have never been in such a situation, so I'm not in a position to truly understand it, but I guess I have a hard time accepting the "gay now" statements because, to me, it suggests that the attraction Willow clearly felt towards men in the first three and a bit seasons was somehow not real - which is a fair enough interpretation, but one that doesn't really work for me. I have a far easier time believing that she simply chooses to identify herself as lesbian rather than bisexual, due to Tara's obvious insecurities during the fifth season regarding her fear that Willow will tire of their relationship and head "back to boysville".
By Whiggles, at 23:21
Of course, the most straightforward answer, once again, is that the writers simply decided to embark on a little revisionism because it suited their cause. Interestingly, during the seventh season there were apparently debates between the writers about whether to have Willow "remain gay" or become involved with a man!
By Whiggles, at 23:22
Sigh, the whims of these writers. No wonder fans were getting irritated.
Your other option - that she is bisexual, but identifies solely as lesbian - is also more viable than some people think. Bisexuals get a lot of stick sometimes, and seem to be difficult to categorise for some people ('Attracted to both men and women? No! It cannot be!').
Some people in relationships with bisexuals do fear that they'll go over to the other side, so Tara wouldn't be alone in her insecurity. In which case, Willow might just decide it's simpler to stick to one path.
It's rather depressing the amount of misunderstandings bisexuals get, but that's a subject for another day!
By Baron Scarpia, at 21:18
Those greedy bisexuals! What, men and women? You mean one or the other isn't enough? :D
By Whiggles, at 22:29
I know, I'm such a slut!
By Baron Scarpia, at 22:57
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