Must Be Tuesday: Veronica Mars Reviews

In today's episodes, Dead Things and Older and Far Away, we continue to rehash the same plot lines we've been stuck in since Once More With Feeling: Buffy and Spike deal with their unhealthy relationship, Willow deals with her magic issues, Dawn deals with her isolation, and Xander and Anya deal with being a boring tertiary plotline. Remember when this show used to actually develop and evolve? Yeah, us too. To compensate, we talk Californian-style about traffic, moving, star wars novels, and audio books. 

Alli and Mary hit our local bar before recording today's discussion of Buffy's Gone and Doublemeat Palace, where Alli continues her defense of oft-hated episodes like DMP and Beer Bad. At least we're not stuck in a tedious pit of despair like last week? It's tough to bring the humor when the show is determined to bring you down, but that's what the beer is for. Cheers!

Time for a little game of "Never Have I Ever" with Mary and Alli. Never Have I Ever hated an episode more than the Hyenas. Never Have I Ever seen a metaphor that banged me on the head harder than magic=lesbianism. Never have I ever missed seasons containing Angel. Grab your shots, because Smashed and Wrecked cover all three. Whedon and co give us a demoralized, irrational Buffy; a regressed Spike; an absent Xander and Anya; a latchkey Dawn; and, mostly, an unrepentant and spoiled Willow. 

Alli and Mary talk the merits of daily mac n cheese, tacos and ramen; board games; and, of course, Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Alex, our special guest this week. We have shots of firewhiskey and beers/white russions to discuss if there is no depth to Willow's selfishness and stupidity, Giles' lackadaisical attitude, and the writers' ability to find a way to bring the humor where you think there could be none. Randy Giles y'all. Randy. Giles. 

Once More with Feeling is Joss Whedon's magnum opus of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's almost definitely the most well-known and beloved episode of Buffy and as such, we felt it deserved a Very Special Episode of Must Be Tuesday. Music and composition is Mary's profession, so our review this week digs into the musical choices and technicalities with short clips from the episode to aid. Musicals? Comedy? Television? Tap-dancing demons? Dawn being in trouble? This episode's got it all. Grab a whiskey and join us! Cheers.

Unlike Buffy, Alli and Mary enjoy our whiskey for this week's episodes, Life Serial and All the Way. On the discussion docket this week is Los Angeles' ridiculous rental prices, college music department drama, the scoobies continued cluelessness and how we were NOT nostalgic for more teen antics, so why are they happening again? 

Alli and Mary get our tequila shots on to talk annoying neighbors, Buffy merch, and what show is on the docket post-Buffy: Stargate? Battlestar? iZombie? Let us know your thoughts. Then we get to the meat of this week's reviews:  Buffy's life sucks, you guys, and it doesn't seem like it's going to improve any time soon. Meanwhile, Willow has lost her goddamn mind, Giles is mentally checked out, and the rest of the scoobies are pretty garbage at empathy. Not Sunnydale's best showing, y'all.

Guilt and resurrection are the watchwords: the Buffy season 6 premiere, Bargaining Parts I&II, is no upper of an episode. Never fear, however, as Alli and Mary are here to soothe the soul with booze and our year anniversary giveaway! We discuss Whedon's quasi-departure from the show, the show's new tone, and growing up into the grey areas of life. 

Welcome to the finale of season 5! We've got the amazing could-have-been series finale duo of The Weight of the World and The Gift. Classic martinis this week to focus on Buffy's life-altering decision making, Willow and Tara's reunion, Spike's growth, and the return of Ripper Giles, which begs the question: would Alli and Mary kill each other to save the world? We also discuss our year anniversary giveaway for next week, so shoot us an email, a review, or a retweet. Cheers!

Tequila shots and beers for Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Tough Love and Spiral. We have to wonder: what is the tipping point for Willow's slowly-more-horrible personality? How come Glory didn't wise up and kick ass a bit sooner? Who's life sucks worse, Dawn or Buffy? We drink because we question, and we question because we care.

An extensive discussion of The Office as well as a review of our disbelief of Los Angeles turtleneck fashion begins this week's episode. After we finally get into Buffy with Dawn's grief in "Forever" and Spike's capacity for morality with "Intervention." We also talk about our upcoming episode #51 giveaway!

This week's podcast is a celebration of 20 years of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We have specialty Hellmouth cocktail to discuss sexbots (I Was Made to Love You) and how difficult it is to critique an episode like The Body. Cheers to you, Joyce!

Alli and Mary discuss birthdays (Buffy and Mary), families (blood and found), fashion (those belts though) and creepy stalker vampires (Spike). Buffy the character celebrates her 20th birthday and Joss Whedon's Buffy the show closes in on its 20th birthday. Cheers! 

Alli and Mary power through some less than ideal beers this week as we watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Triangle and Checkpoint. First, we get Willow and Anya bickering about who gets to love Xander best. Second, we get the old dudes at the council coming in to dick with Buffy until she shows them what's what with one of the best speeches in all Joss Whedon properties. Cheers!

Clink your martinis to say goodbye to Riley as yet another Buffy the Vampire Slayer romance fizzles out. We chat Buffy's growing adulthood responsibilities, the crazy timelines of Dawn's backstory, and wonder wtf the writers were thinking this season with Riley. 

We have HAD it with these motherfucking snakes on the motherfucking Hellmouth! Pick a different creature puppet to make Buffy fight. Also this week, crazy good Spike backstory. Cheers!

A football chugging challenge leads to a very tipsy podcast discussion of Buffy's season 5 episodes No Place Like Home and Family. Happy official entrance to the scoobies, Tara!

Tequila shots hit hard this week to help us discuss Xander-centric The Replacement and Riley-centric Out of My Mind. Did you know that Riley has masculinity issues? Well, after his episode, you surely do. Cheers!

Martinis for our foray into Season 5. Big changes are afoot in Sunnydale: Giles finds a new purpose, Xander finds a little self-respect, and Buffy finds a brand new whiny younger sibling. Join us for Buffy vs. Dracula and Real Me. Cheers!

Joss Whedon's Restless, like Hush before & Once More With Feeling after, is a freakin' masterpiece. We delve into the scoobies' psyche, collective and individual, for a trippy and insightful good time. Grab a beer (or something stronger!) and listen in.