h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, following on from my thoughts last week on the first two episodes aired on ch.5, I thought I'd post a few comments on the next, Witch, a personal favourite of mine.

Well, where WTTH/The Harvest set the scene and gave us the necessary exposition, it is this episode that lays down the template for much of s.1, and indeed many subsequent stand-alone episodes, in terms of the opening supernatural event, triggering investigation, leading to one of the Scoobies being put in danger, (then often leading to a race against time to save them), followed by the conclusion of the storyline, followed by a brief coda. (Please note I'm not saying this is a detailed and accurate breakdown of every episode, just a rough guide to the path many, especially in s.1 followed). It also sets the tone of many s.1 episodes, in terms of the light-hearted, comedic tone, which was less emphasised in subsequent seasons, in favour of often a darker tone. This is interesting, since in my view, with the exceptions of s.4and s.7, perhaps, each season became increasingly darker in tone, so it is characterisitc of the show as a whole.

The theme and metaphor of this episode is also interesting. BtVS' attitude to parents is interesting because while the dangers of bad/under parenting are shown (ie, Xander's parents in Hells Bells, and occasional references to Buffy's often absentee father, also Tara's family), often the chldren become good people despite this - they are not defined by their parents/upbringing (which is not to say this has no impact on them, please note), the dangers of overparenting are also shown - here, but also in Ginmgerbread, for example, when Willow wants her mother to take more of an interest, but this turns out not to be what she expected, and she learns to tresaure certain aspects of her mother leaving her to her own devices (note I say ceratin aspects)... Also, in this episode, Buffy is angry with her mother when Joyce tries to convince her of working on the yearbook because she did, and grateful when Joyce admits she doesn't get her. Once again, the idea seems to be that these are good people who can think for themselves, and make their own way in life (it is worth noting actual parents do not play as large a part in BtVS as you might expect - note how many times we see Xander or Willow's parents), and often thier parents can be most supportive by giving their children freedom.

Ah, well, enough rambling for now. Bye.

As you say it explores certain aspects of the parent/adolescent relationship. For many years it has been the purpose of education to mold a work force in the image of their parents. It is no accident that universal education came at the same time as the industrial revolution. It is notable that since the failure of the industrial Nirvanha in the eighties the very people who were being molded in their parents image as "reliable" members of the working classes are more likely to make their own independent choices than the once ruling classes. Doctors, Lawyers, Business managers still expect their offspring to follow the family career, wheras Industrial, agricultural and Service workers are more likely to steer their adolescents to a more expansive vision of their possible future. That may be why the more creative people in our society now tend to come from the "working" classes when in the past they were likely to be Middle or above. [Not a lot to do with Buffy, I know, but I had a theme on the Philosophy of Nicola Roberts, but I could only think of one word to write]