From March 14th to March 27th, The Paley Center for Media is presenting the twentieth-fifth annual William S. Paley Television Festival. The Paley Center, formerly the Museum of Television and Radio, says that the festival celebrates "television's rich and diverse programming and the creative process behind the medium." This year the festival includes Chuck, Friday Night Lights, Pushing Daisies, and Gossip Girl among others. Last night, I attended the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunion. For what happened during the panel discussion and some pictures, read on past the jump...
Pre-Buffy Fun
I got to the Arclight at 3:45 thinking I would be one of the first arrivals. I even brought my laptop because I thought there would be no one to talk to. The box office didn't open until 5 pm, the doors didn't open until 6 pm, and the show didn't start until well after 7 pm. With that in mind, imagine this scene. There were lines wrapped around the theatre with beach chairs, blankets, fast food wrappers and even tents.
Boy, was I mistaken about the Buffy fanbase. I knew the show had a strong following but these fans were superfans. I met a lovely couple in line. The husband had a collage of pictures of every female actress ever to appear on Buffy, Angel and Firefly. He even explained to some other superfans how he agonized over the organization of the photos.
At 7 pm, there were more pre-game activities. We watched a clip from All My Children (1994) that featured Sarah Michelle Gellar and Susan Lucci. The crowd laughed and swooned at this. One of the festival's directors made a quick speech about the Paley Center's mission. She said that each year there is one very special event during the Festival week and last night was it. The 850 seats in the Arclight sold out in 2 hours. People had planted themselves outside at 7 pm the night before to get good seats. People had flown from other countries (I saw France and Hungary passports). Fans paid $750 for premium packages (the tickets included three other shows).
The director also announced the Buffy Reunion moderator, Matt Roush of TV Guide. Roush, a long time fan of the show, got up and quipped, "My name is Matt and I'm a Buffy-holic." He also described the show as "Clueless meets Carrie by way of Salem's Lot" and "My So-Called Life as a Vampire Slayer."
Roush then introduced Marti Noxon, an executive producer and writer for the show. Briefly, she spoke about the influence of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It combined genres and turned horror conventions upside down. The cute blonde in the horror flick that got killed in the first ten minutes is now smart, athletic, tough and can kick vampire ass. She also introduced the night's featured episode, "Once More, With Feeling" (the Buffy musical).
The Introductions
After the audience watched the entire musical episode of Buffy, Matt Roush resumed his hosting duties by introducing the cast and creators of the show. Here's the order:
David Greenwalt (also executive producer and co-creator of Angel)
Amber Benson ("Tara Maclay")
Seth Green ("Oz")
Charisma Carpenter ("Cordelia Chase")
Marti Noxon (also a producer for Angel, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice)
Michelle Trachtenberg ("Dawn Summers")
Emma Caulfield ("Anya")
James Marsters ("Spike")
Nicholas Brendan ("Xander")
Sarah Michelle Gellar ("Buffy Summers")
Joss Whedon (Creator)
There was no Eliza Dushku ("Faith") or Allison Hannigan ("Willow") despite both their names being in the program and on the press releases. And while Sarah Michelle Gellar got a little standing ovation, the entire crowd was on their feet for Joss Whedon.
Discussion of the MusicalRoush decided to begin with "Once More, With Feeling" as the audience had just viewed it. Of the episode, Whedon said it was fun and "There was music everyday." He also mentioned that the musical was not the hardest episode. He felt "Hush" was more difficult. James Marsters said that none of the cast members signed on to be singers and none of them were professional singers. But, they knew Joss had written a get script. Marsters also commended his fellow castmates for their courage, especially Sarah Michelle Gellar who apparently had begged Whedon to get out of it. Gellar said, "bring the Buffy rap back" instead of a musical.
When asked what her most terrifying moment on the show was, Michelle Trachtenberg answered that it was finding out about "Once More, With Feeling." She mentioned that she gave herself "pyschosomatic tonsilitis" when she found out she had to sing. After Michelle recounted how her face was puffy from crying about the episode, Seth Green chimed in that he cried because he wasn't in it.
Roush asked Whedon if he had any plans for a Broadway musical after the success of "Once More, With Feeling." Joss said he would love to do a Buffy musical but he would not expand on his musical episode. He would just start from scratch. When the cast was asked if they would go to Broadway with Whedon, all but Gellar raised their hands.
Discussion of "The Body"
After the cast talked about the musical, they spent a lot of time talking about "The Body." Matt Roush said it was a raw and dangerous episode of Buffy and he wondered what their memories of it were. Gellar relayed that both she and Trachtenberg have strong single mothers. It's hard to separate the real from the show with episodes like "The Body." Gellar retold how Joss wanted to do one shot for when Buffy finds the body. "You mean, no retakes?," Gellar said. She had half the day to prepare and then they shot for three minutes with a handheld. Gellar mentioned how this was instance of the show breaking the rules and challenging the cast (as well as the audience). She said it felt more like a live stage play than a television show.
Trachtenberg commented she was honored to be in the episode. She felt like the decision to have no sound while Buffy tells Dawn about their mother's death was a good one in retrospect. It allowed the audience to connect with the scene, to attach their own emotions to it.
Emma Caulfield recounted how a fan approached her and asked about her monologue in "The Body." The fan asked what was going through her mind when she read her lines. Emma told the fan she just had to go to the bathroom and was really hungry. She then said she felt bad for upsetting the fan and called it an "Anya moment."
What's your favorite movie and what's on your iPod? (A question from a fan)
Joss Whedon: Matrix / Steven Sondheim
Sarah Michelle Gellar: South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut / no answer for music
Nicholas Brendon: Kojak, the movie / then he talked forever about nothing
James Marsters: Apocalypse Now / Beck, Rolling Stones, Nirvana
Emma Caulfield: Silence of the Lambs and Pulp Fiction / Radiohead
Michelle Trachtenberg: Labyrinth and Rain Man / Madonna, Kanye West
Marti Noxon: Poltergeist and Good Fellas / 2 artists I've never heard of
Charisma Carpenter: Anchorman / The Killers
Seth Green: Raising Arizona and There Will Be Blood / He said he has over 25,000 songs on his iPod.
Amber Benson: Sullivan's Travels / Steve Earl
David Greenwalt: The Godfather and Serenity / He joked he didn't know what an iPod was.
What are they doing now?
- David Greenwalt is no longer in the biz. He says he's waiting for another call from Joss Whedon.
- Amber Benson just sold a series of fantasy books to Penguin.
- Seth Green said he and Charisma Carpenter were making a fitness video. (So, basically, he's not doing much or didn't want to talk about it.)
- Marti Noxon is working on a Grey's spin-off.
- Michelle Trachtenberg just wrapped Seventeen Again and Kids in America with Topher Grace. She will also guest star on Gossip Girl.
- James Marsters just finished shooting Dragonball and is working on Torchwood.
- Emma Caulfield just got back from doing charity work in Africa. She also has two movies coming out although she didn't mention what they were.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar also just returned from Africa where she did work for CARE.
- Joss Whedon just wrapped a musical short starring Neil Patrick Harris.
Tidbits- I overheard a superfan say that Sarah Michelle Gellar has never attended a Buffy convention or event until last night. She is not on any of the DVD commentary either. But, later on, I hear another superfan say that Gellar had indeed attended the 1998 Paley Festival where Buffy the Vampire Slayer was honored for the first time.
- Best lines of the night. David Greenwalt (in a weird effort to skirt around a question) told the audience, "I'm not wearing any underwear." To which Seth Green replied, "That's kind of a bomb to drop."
- When asked "Angel or Spike?," Sarah Michelle said, "Well, he's sitting on stage," and pointed to James Marsters.
- It seemed as though most of the cast hadn't read the season 8 comics. Sarah Michelle didn't know that Joss wrote her a new love interest, a woman. "Willow?," she suggested quickly.
- Joss Whedon said that he would give up the comic for a chance to work with the cast again (presumably on a movie). But of the movie possibility, he seemed dubious, "So many stars would have to align."
- When Nicholas Brendon wouldn't shut up about something (sorry, I forget what), Michelle Trachtenberg said that he's just mad because she's taller than him now. "Bigger boobs," he retorted. Ouch.
- A fan asked Sarah Michelle Gellar if it was hard to play Robo-Buffy. She answered that Robo-Buffy, which forced her to find the essence of the character, is an example of how the show never let her get lazy.
- Seth Green said that what he missed the most about working on the show was arriving each day to his trailer and finding that David Boreanaz had pooped in it. Amber Benson said she missed making out with hot chicks. And David Greenwalt said he missed directing Gellar who he called "a machine."
- Amber Benson was asked why she declined returning to the show. At first she joked that she was having sex with Marlon Brando at the time and needed to be by his bedside during his last days. (Whoa.) Then she said that she was directing a project in London and just wasn't available.
- When asked about season 6, Gellar remarked that Buffy "felt so foreign to me" and "felt so removed from me at the time." "I've always looked up to her," she continued about her character. Moreover, Gellar mentioned that it was hard to watch Buffy suffer.
I will also be attending the Dirty Sexy Money panel on March 25th and The X-Files panel on March 26th. Just a note: The X-Files panel is replacing the premiere of Tracey Ullman's State of the Union which mysteriously got canceled. Check back with TV Squad for news about those Paley events.
Also, as soon as I get pictures from last night's event, I will post them. The press was not allowed to take photos although fans were (provided they didn't use a flash).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-21-2008 @ 8:37AM
Ryan said...
Man I would've given a foot to attend. Damn me being way on the other side of the country! Kudos to those international travelers. I wish I had that kind of money/time.
Still this must have been amazing. I'm awaiting a possible DVD of the event. A lot of fans are. BEST. SHOW. EVER.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 2:11PM
croweincali said...
I can't believe I wasn't able to attend! Ever since Buffy the Vampire Slayer left there have been no shows like it! Except GHOST WHISPERER. I LOVE GHOST WHISPERER! For some reason I get the same vibe when I watch that show. It's awesome!
3-21-2008 @ 8:43AM
laura said...
I have met everyone on that panel except for gellar and Whedon at various conventions, The cast is always so open and easygoing and no matter how many times i go , i always leave elated. Seth Green isnt "not doing much"! He does family guy, robot chicken, is in teh upcoming movies "old dogs" with robin williams and John travolta and "the brazilian job" with Jason Statham charlize theron and mark wahlberg.
I have read Ambers fantasy books before, and they werent very good at all, but i still love her.
I had an "anya" moment with Emma at a convention,Nicholas was supposed to be there but his grandmother died, and they replaced him with her at the last minute and she showed up late to an exclusive dinner party (where guest sit at the table with at least one cast member, we got J. August Richards "gunn" from angel. Anyway, she comes in and doesnt eat but manages to scarf down almost half a chocolate cake in one sitting and just kept apologizing for how much she loved chocolate.
Reply
3-21-2008 @ 5:09PM
Greg said...
In fairness, SMG said she was listening to the South Park: BLU soundtrack on her iPod, but someone was talking over her (probably Nick Brendon).
That was an awesome night. I sat in line for standby tickets for over 7 hours, but to get inside and get a pic with Joss and get my replica Slayer Scythe signed by Joss, David Fury and Jane Espenson was a highlight of my life.
Would've liked to have the rest of the exec producers (Noxon and Greenwalt) as well as SMG to sign it as well, but alas...
Reply
3-22-2008 @ 10:15PM
neork32 said...
Anyone know if this was recorded (audio or video) a d if its going to be made available?
Reply
3-24-2008 @ 2:14AM
Stigmata said...
so whats nick brendon doing nowadays? prob looking for work?
Reply
3-24-2008 @ 7:03AM
Maria Pompeo said...
your comment about Seth Green doing nothing...was this a joke of yours?? cos he is most likely the busiest out of all of them...family guy, robot chicken...which he is one of the creators...scratch it, you must be joking
- maria
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3-27-2008 @ 2:16PM
nmcil said...
Even if most of the Whedon fandom could not be there, thanks to all the great publicity and efforts from the online sites, we still get a chance to see and hear what went on - Thanks for your efforts -
nmcil
Reply
3-25-2008 @ 3:46PM
kate said...
What's with all the Nick Brendon haters?
Reply
3-30-2008 @ 1:32PM
Patrick Muhleck said...
Dear emma caulfield actress "buffy the vampire slayer"
I readed my computer Los Angeles Times Newspaper for Palcy festival: Buffy the vampire slayer reunion. I watched t.v. "Buffy the vampire slayer in 1999 to 2003. Joss whedon is direction film and Marti Noxon is executive producer very luck "buffy the vampire slayer" and Once more, with feeling in music very good!
Iam remember "Anya" bunny costume "buffy the vampire slayer Halleween! I like emma caulfield actress! Anya was singing very good luck. "Wonderful" Buffy the vampire slayer "one more, with feeling" music
Anya= Emma caulfield was singing.
Emma silence of the lambs and pulp fiction.
I thinking emma just got back from doing charity work in
africa. "I have read Emma Factasy magazine before and they weren't very good at all,but still lover her. I had an "anya" moment with emma at a convention. I have save "Buffy the vampire slayer lots books and magazines and DVD and CD music. I have new Buffy the vampire slayer BTVS big book. I readed stocking for buffy the vampire slayer books and magazine and Music. I save the buffy the vampire slayer lots buffy the vampire slayer books and magazines and music win $1,135.00 win! I wrote the buffy the vampire slayer travia quiz and BTVS big book. I is friend Joss whedon direction film manager very good luck. I can't hearing my ear. Iam sad. Maybe I will going to Hosiptal in Los Angeles,California. Emma caulfield reading the colhear implanet transplanet. Yes emma caulfield said she is understand for me's deaf. Iam afraid sad adoption. Emma will helping me. emma is praying me's ear. emma caulfield will talking Doctor for test hearing me's ear. I live in monroe,michigan. Joss whedon was talked Emma caulfield actress helping me. I will be surgecy in Hosiptal Los Angeles,California. Emma Caulfield will pick up me in date. I hope emma caulfield actress. Iam pray emma caulfield. you is praying me's ear. I very sad my ear. Yes Emma caulfield said she save me life emma's family Law. Martin Noxon is exceitive produce buffy the vampire slayer film very good luck. Joss whedon is excetion very good 200% Job film studio.True is Joss Whedon's boss manager "buffy the vampire slayer " direction film in Los Angeles,california.
Last December 2005 I was trip in Los Angeles,California for visitor University studio Hollywood Hollywood,california fun. I miss Fox Studio in studio.
I miss High school in Torance,californa behind buffy's house in outside. It was warm sunny in Los Angeles,california. I was castle suite inn in anaheim,cailf.
I was talked visitore Limouse friend free Los Angeles,California. I was looked the Sign Hollywood in mountain pretty and Universal stuidio hollywood. my chrisitne's mother old is very sick "Parkinson deasous. christine's mother old said please emma caulfield actress come me. when will be date? she hope emma caulfield actress in date. Christine mother old said she praying emma caulfield need helping for Patrick Muhleck. Christine mother old is sick. chrisitine mother old said she will be died in date. Emma caulfield finding me in date. Hope.
Iam happy for buffy the vampire slayer lots books and magaizne and comic magaizne and CD music and DVD video. I am smart save the buffy the vampire slayer!
Hope!
Best wishes Friend
Patrick Muhleck
Reply
3-30-2008 @ 3:19PM
christine muhleck said...
she know Patrick muhleck like buffy the vampire slayers books and magazine and comic magazines.Patrick love Buffy the vampire slayers DVD video and Once more,with feeling Music. Patrick can't hearing ear. she is trying emma caulfield helping for Patrick muhleck deaf. my name is christine muhleck mother old is sick "Parkinson Deasous". Please you come me. She hope emma caulfield actress buffy the vampire slayer. Patrick's deaf will be adoption. Please emma caulfield pick up for Patrick Muhleck in date. She is old sick. Patrick is very good. Patrick said yes like emma caulfield actress. Patrick muhleck live in monroe,michigan. Patrick reading the buffy the vampire slayer comic magazine. Patrick have emma caulfield Photo pretty. emma caulfield reading the colhear implanet transplanet. she will be died in date.
She is praying emma caulfield need helping for Patrick Muhleck. she will give Patrick Muhleck Life Insurance for emma caulfield "Keep". She hope. Please emma caulfield will teaching thearapy "help" for Patrick Muhleck. no promblem. you pray for Patrick's ear. why Patrick feeling very sad? I know. Patrick can't hear ear. Please Emma caulfield will talking Doctor in Hosiptal Los Angeles,california. Please emma caulfield actress and Patrick will going home in California. Patrick wrote buffy the vampire slayer BTVS big book. Patrick learned the buffy the vampire slayer Travia Quiz two book. when emma caulfield will visiting Patrick Muhleck in date?
She watched t.v. "Buffy the vampire slayer for Anya- emma caulfield was costume bunny! she is very good emma caulfield actress. Patrick is working McDonalds restraute in monroe,michigan. Patrick washing the dishes in mcdonalds restraute "Saturday and Sunday". Patrick working 24 years mcdonalds restraute. Patrick is cheif training mcdonalds restraute. Patrick love in Los Angeles and hollywood,california. Last December 2005 Patrick was trip in Los Angeles,california. Patrick vistior univesity studio hollywood,california. Please emma caulfield love for Patrick Muhleck. Patrick is very sad. She know. She is trying emma caulfield for Patrick Muhleck deaf. Hope.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 7:07AM
ShinkuEX said...
SMG picked Spike over Angel. Guess she's a sex fiend, after all.
Not that I'm complaining...
Reply
4-04-2008 @ 12:10AM
Buffynangel said...
No I'm not thinking she chose Spike over Angel it was just that as she said Spike was sitting on stage lol
Reply
4-04-2008 @ 4:02AM
ShinkuEX said...
They asked her Spike or Angel, and she pointed towards James. Hence, she chose Spike.
Reply
4-12-2008 @ 5:14PM
Patrick Muhleck said...
I love buffy the vampire slayer books and magazines and DVD and CD-Music and Comic magazine. I wrote the buffy the vampire slayer Travia Quiz. Emma said she praying for me's ear. I hope emma caulfield actress. Joss
Whedon direction film "buffy the vampire slayer very excellion Job 200%. emma caulfield will see me in next time. I can't hearing my ear. yes emma caulfield said she is understand the colhear implant transplant. emma caulfield will helping me. I will be surgecy in Hosiptal Los Angeles,California. I live in monroe,michigan. I is only. Iam sad adpotion. Please emma caulfield pick up me in date! Hope. maybe Buffy the vampire slayer new word puzzle.
Reply