Couch Surfing Episode 08 - The Whedon/Zombie Dance-Off

In episode eight of Couch Surfing, our heroes rejoice at the end of the Writer’s Strike. Scott gushes about the new ABC show, Eli Stone, but weeps about the latest FOX game show, The Moment of Truth. John finally finishes Veronica Mars, and Scott must talk him down off the ledge, over the unsatisfactory ‘ending’. They both praise the mind blowing bargains from Deep Discount. Scott finds the willpower not to punch a kitten after watching the BBC show, Primeval, while John shares a childhood story of his mad archery skills. The two of them finish up the show by lamenting Joss Whedon’s frustrating lack of follow-through, and laughing at the absurdity of Rob Zombie possibly directing Conan. The following artists can be heard in this episode:

Leroy, Shakespeare’s Sister, Lords of Acid, George Michael, Fleetwood Mac, The Bravery, INXS, Bjork & PJ Harvey, The Delays, Guided By Voices, The Dandy Warhols, Primal Scream, Prince, Was Not Was, Hans Zimmer, AFI, Evanescence, Scissor Sisters, Nickelback, Staind, White Zombie and The Dollyrots.

"I Only Have Eyes For You" is the nineteenth episode from the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Surrounding the day of the Sadie Hawkins Dance, a couple of ghosts from 1955 are possessing random folks at Sunnydale High, forcing them to play out a forgotten crime of passion, ending in murder and suicide. Things go from bad to worse when Buffy and Angelus become the next vessels for these tortured spirits.

Crystal Smalling (Three Chicks & A Mic and the Squint Squad) joins the show as we take a closer look at this episode about role reversal, heartbreak and forgiveness. In this commentary, Crystal and I discuss snakes, poltergeists and the possibility of a few hidden, subtle fashion statements.

Please listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD.

According to Variety's online blog The Set List, Rounder Records will release a long overdue official score soundtrack for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The album will contain 29 tracks from seasons 2 through 4, composed by Christophe Beck (Bring It On, Elektra, Confidence) and released on September 9th.

Here is the track list:
 
1. Massacre  (from “Becoming”)
2. Angel Waits  (from “Passion”)
3. Remembering Jenny  (from “Passion”)
4. Twice the Fool  (from “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”)
5. Moment of Happiness  (from “Innocence”)
6. Loneliness of Six (from “Lover’s Walk”)
7. Sugar High (from “Band Candy”)
8. Tai Chi  (from “Band Candy”)
9. Kralik’s House  (from “Helpless”)
10. Magic Snow Music  (from “Amends”)
11. Slayer’s Elegy  (from “The Wish”)
12. Faith’s End  (from “Graduation Day”)
13. Drink Me  (from “Graduation Day”)
14. One Last Moment  (from “Graduation Day”)
15. Haunted  (from “Fear Itself”)
16. From the Grave  (from “This Year’s Girl”)
17. Demon Got Your Tongue  (from “Hush”)
18. Golf Claps  (from “Hush”)
19. The Princess Screams  (from “Hush”)
20. Spellbound  (from “Who Are You?”)
21. Fyarl in the Morning  (from “A New Man”)
22. A Really Big Sandbox  (from “Restless”)
23. Spaghetti  (from “Restless”)
24. Body Paint  (from “Restless”)
25. Xander’s Nightmare  (from “Restless”)
26. The Tower  (from “The Gift”)
27. Losing Battle  (from “The Gift”)
28. Apocalypse  (from “The Gift”)
29. Sacrifice  (alternate version, from “The Gift”)

Personally, I'm mostly excited for the previously unavailable material from season 4 (especially "Restless"), as I already have the rest from Beck's original promotional discs. Hopefully, if this sells well, we may see a second volume some time in the future. I wouldn't say no to music from the remaining seasons, either (particularly Thomas Wanker's work on "Into The Woods" and "Smashed").

For anyone interested in making their own compilation, here's the track list from Christophe Beck's promotional discs for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

NOTE: The order of these tracks may seem odd at first, as they are not initially in chronological order. The reason for this is, if you listen to the music very carefully, you will realize that much of it is actually seamlessly mixed together, like one, very long suite:

1. Resurrection
2. Twice The Fool
3. Remembering Jenny
4. Ampata's Kiss
5. Devil Child
6. What's That Do?
7. Sledgehammer
8. Cursed
9. Angel Waits
10. Mob Rush
11. Accused
12. Escape
13. Moment Of Happiness
14. The Buffy Rat
15. Love Is Forever
16. Robot Rampage
17. Show Me Your World
18. Waking Willow
19. Massacre
20. Vision Of Jenny
21. As Angel Becomes
22. The Mark Of Eyghon*
23. Deliverance
24. Tai Chi
25. Sugar High
26. Loneliness Of Six
27. Bizarro Sunnydale
28. Blood Machine
29. Slayer's Elegy
30. Dublin, 1938
31. Dreaming Of...
32. Magic Snow Music
33. Betrayal
34. Kralik's House
35. A Father's Love
36. Alternate Willow
37. Into The Mayor's Lair
38. Dearly Beloved
39. The Beginning Of The End
40. Class Protector
41. Poison Arrow
42. Faith's End
43. Aftermath
44. Drink Me
45. Little Miss Muffet
46. War
47. One Last Look
48. Close Your Eyes**
49. Dead Guys With Bombs***
50. Buffy & Riley's Love Theme****
51. Suite From "Hush"*****
52. Suite From "Restless"*****
53. Sacrifice From "The Gift"*****

*The end of this track starts to lead into a new, unknown piece of music. So, either a cue is missing from the promotional CD, or the track list I got from Blunt Instrument is inaccurate. Anyone who can clarify, please send email.
**Available on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album
***Available on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale (UK Mix)
****I can't even remember where I got this from. I'm not entirely sure if it's from the composer, or if a talented fan did their own cover of this piece. It's difficult to tell, since Beck mostly uses synth instruments in his work as well.
*****Available on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Once More, With Feeling"

Eighteen episodes into Buffy the Vampire Slayer's second season brings us to, "Killed By Death". Buffy isn't feeling her Wheaties. The Scoobies take her to the hospital. While recovering from the flu, she learns the Children's Ward is being visited by a mysterious figure every night and killing kids who are too weak to fight back. Is it the Doctor and his questionable experiments? Is it the invisible, eye-popping monster with an underbite? Hard to say. I guess you'll just have to watch and find out. :)

Please join Paul Maki and I as we discuss the high level of gullibility of Sunnydale residents, Day for Night shooting and the debate over whether or not Power Girl was created for the show, or if she's a preexisting superhero (Turns out, she is in fact a DC Comics Character. I knew it!).

Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD.

Paul Maki returns for the seventeenth episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's second season, "Passion". Angelus is stalking Buffy, killing Willow's fish and leaving delightful, creep-o-gram drawings for the Slayer and her friends to find. Meanwhile, Jenny Calendar is working on a rare, forgotten spell to restore Angel's soul. Also, Joyce learns of her daughter's recent intimacy with an older man. Much older. Much, much older. In any case, relationships are tested, secrets are revealed and someone dies.

Please join Paul and I as we talk about building sets versus shooting on location, practical effects versus CGI, strong casting and even vampire etiquette. NOTE: You may hear it on occasion, but I was enjoying a plate of angel hair pasta during this recording. :)

Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD.