30 Days of Buffy Meme — Day 3

[rebcake]

Day 1: Favorite Season
Day 2: Favorite Episode
Day 3: Favorite Song Used In An Episode
Day 4: Favorite Female Character
Day 5: Least Favorite Female Character
Day 6: Favorite Male Character
Day 7: Least Favorite Male Character
Day 8: Favorite Friendship
Day 9: Favorite Romance
Day 10: Least Favorite Season
Day 11: Least Favorite Romance
Day 12: Least Favorite Episode
Day 13: Favorite Potential Slayer
Day 14: Favorite Female Villain
Day 15: Favorite Male Villain
Day 16: Episode You Like That Everyone Else Hates
Day 17: Character You Relate To The Most
Day 18: Character Who Didn’t Get Enough Screen Time
Day 19: Character You Like That Everyone Else Hates
Day 20: Best Spike-centric Episode
Day 21: Best Willow-centric Episode
Day 22: Best Xander-centric Episode
Day 23: Two Characters You Wanted To Get Together That Never Did
Day 24: Hottest scene
Day 25: Favorite Buffyverse Saying
Day 26: Favorite Scooby Moment
Day 27: Cutest Moment
Day 28: Character You Love To Hate
Day 29: Episode You Hate That Everyone Else Loves
Day 30: What You Think Made Buffy So Great

Favorite Song Used In An Episode: There are too many to choose from! Buffy makes great use of music throughout. Band appearances at the Bronze are usually fantastic, notably Cibo Matto doing "Sugar Water" in When She Was Bad, Aimee Mann doing "Pavlov's Bell" in Sleeper, and The Breeders doing whatever the hell they want in Him. For me, Michelle Branch's song "Goodbye To You" was a bit on the nose for the end of Tabula Rasa, but it's certainly effective. Background music is also terrific, and a standout for me is "Faith in Love" by Devil Doll in Harsh Light of Day. Sexytimes! And don't even get me started on Once More With Feeling, which is packed with wonderful songs, all of which are just right for their purpose. I could never choose between them.

For me, it comes down to two: "Blue" performed by Angie Hart in Conversations with Dead People and the "Main Title Theme" performed by Nerf Herder on either end of almost every episode. They set the tone for the entire episode, and do it in such different ways. The Theme lets the viewer know that this is supposed to be a fun, rollicking ride, and that even with all the death, monsters, and mayhem, you should enjoy yourself. Surf music has always perfectly captured that "fun in a minor key" mentality that is so very Buffy. Since surfing is all about the challenge of facing your fears — what could be more terrifying and exhilarating than giving yourself to and triumphing over an ocean — it is really genius that surf music is the intro to the show. On the other hand, "Blue" forces a shift in thinking. For the final push, the final apocalypse, all the characters have to face themselves, one way or another. It's introspective and asks questions about individuality and yearning for understanding from others. Or not. Who knows? It's poetry and it's thoughtful and emotional, and that's where we're headed. Co-writer Joss Whedon is putting us on notice that things are going to be different. And, for better or worse, they are.