Still Slaying: a Buffy-verse podcast

“What am I? I'm an unemployed librarian with a tendency to get knocked on the head.” Penny, Kara, and Dodie revel in the silliness of this mid-season romp: a rare episode focusing on Giles. The trio talk about the cruelty of Maggie Walsh, Giles’s mid-life crisis, men feeling intimidated by powerful women, shiny shirts, measuring tapes, hiking metaphors, the male gaze, daddy issues and daddy issues...

Content Warning: Discussion of volence against women in many forms, including sexual violence, forced pregnancy and birth, ….. “Oh, and Baudelaire was actually a little taller and a lot drunker than he's depicted here.” The Scooby Duo gets into some of the serious issues raised in these two episodes. They have the “serious” conversation about exploitation of women and personal thoughts on current...

“My glamorous LA life, I get to make the coffee and chain the boss to the bed. I've got to join a union.” It’s the return of the Scooby Duo as Penny and Kara lament that we only got one episode of Jeremy Renner’s Penn. They discuss serial killers, serial killer movies and tropes, vampire sluts, the myriad uses of holy water, Black Cat Appreciation Day, rooms full of crazy, big boards, the best way...

“It's the end of the world. Everyone dies. It's rather important, really.” Penny, Kara, Sam, and Steve dive into this nostalgic episode where the Scoobies go back to high school. The discussion starts with the Y2K phenomenon and winds through the episode, touching on Spike’s chemistry with everyone, Giles’s failings, Forrest’s jealousy, mansplaining, dorm hygiene, the horrifying prospect of naked...

“Blues wasn't forced on us like that religion. Nah, son, we brought that with us from home. It's magic what we do. It's sacred... and big.” Penny, Sam, Kara and Jason revel in the artistic and box office success of Ryan Coogler’s genre defying tale of family, fellowship, music, and freedom. The discussion ranges from the serious to the silly, with stops along the way for auteur theory, sports meta...

“Can't even shout, can't even cry / The gentlemen are coming by / Looking in windows, knocking on doors / They need to take seven and they might take yours / Can't call to mom, Can't say a word / You're gonna die a-screaming but you won't be heard.” Penny, Sam and Jim dive deep for this iconic and critically acclaimed episode about communication. Things get political, but the trio also find plenty...

“This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed.” Dodie returns and she, Penny, and Sam have a lot of fun with this lighter episode. Of course, they veer into some tangents, including Mars lander errors, the allure of bad boys, the historical origin of picnics, the emotional pitfalls of adolescence, grief and healing, the practical aspects of chaining up a vampire in your home...

"I'm gonna thrash you within an inch of your life. And then I'm gonna take that inch!" Penny, and Sam are joined by Becky to mourn the passing of Doyle, celebrate the arrival of Wesley and talk about the political metaphor of The Scourge. The tangents are many, including Sam’s prankishness (challenge accepted), fascism, the patriarchy, House of the Dragon, nonprofit brooding, addiction, Colin Robi...

“Batten down the hatches. Here comes Hurricane Buffy.” Penny, Kara and Sam are joined by Dodie this week to find the light in the sadness of this iconic crossover episode. The four find plenty to laugh about, including fashion, clocks, Lois Lane, alternate universes, free will, snail mail, the butterfly effect, time loop stories, regret, quippy dialogue on other shows, sewers, possible career path...

“Over bickering and confusion, I'll take pie.”  The Slay Squad returns from hiatus with a double episode - Sam, Kara and Penny dig into this pair of episodes that each address the cultural clashes in very different contexts.  The trio digress for some tangents as usual, like parental advice not to take drugs from a stranger, boring dates, general appreciation for the men of Angel, Rachel Dolezal,...

“I've seen honest faces before. They usually come attached to liars.” Penny, Kara and Sam have almost too much fun discussing this pivotal episode where secrets are revealed, hair is pulled and everyone talks about cheese. The trio indulge in many tangents, including international travel, dating strategies, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, clumsiness, rape culture, Matilda, fashion trials and tribula...

“My whole life... I've never loved anything else.” Nobody’s favorite episode, but absolutely critical to plot and character development. Penny and Kara dig into the heartbreak of it all, while still finding plenty of time for 90s nostalgia and tangent topics like toothpaste flavors, “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” lust, dating options for Giles, the puzzling allure of “Entourage,” daughters of Pres...

Content Warning: discussion of police brutality, acts of violence, and racism  “No, I don't think 'urgh' is the magic word, if one would *call* it a word. And even then it's certainly not a magic one." The Scooby Duo rip into this episode that plays police brutality and sensitivity training for laughs. Kara’s background as a prosecutor really comes in handy illuminating some of the realities of th...

Content Warning: discussion of domestic abuse and abusive relationships. “The man doesn’t have a mirror. Like it would kill him to not see himself?” Penny, Sam and returning guest Becky go deeper than they anticipated about this relatively lighthearted Cordelia-focused episode about the difficulties of finding an affordable unhaunted apartment in Los Angeles. The trio cover a range of topics, as u...

“Giles, don't make Cave-Slayer unhappy.” The Scooby Duo is back and revels in this silly episode, with topics ranging from running into exes, the evolutionary purpose of beauty, elitism, Xander’s Hogwarts house, Freudian psychology, consent, Wedding Crashers, Xander’s best moments, aspirational hair, nasty cocktails, and reboot news.    Next time, we’ll be covering Angel, Season 1, Episode 5, “Rm...

“Oh, yeah? Well... so's your face!” Things are a bit lighter this week for the Slay Squad as they accompany the scoobies to a Frat House Halloween Party. This is Sunnydale, so the party is upended by an accidentally invited demon. Penny and Kara power through some tech problems to discuss the spooky antics of Gachnar. The conversation topics include Fight Club, the Yankees, confidence, cultural ap...

Content Warning: Discussion of torture and violence against women in many forms, including sexual violence, stalking, dometic and intimate partner violence and rape culture. “I don't know about you, but I had a nice day. You know, except for the bulk of it where I was nearly tortured to death.” Slay Squad is doubling down on the quest for redemption this week and covering two episodes at once. Pen...

“Fabric Softener” The Slay Squad starts off in the 90s discussing international gains for democracy and colonization then dive into the confusion of dating when you’re young… and when you’re old. Kara, Penny and Sam offer the wisdom of their own experiences and admit to each having fallen for their own Parker. The discussion also covers the fashion, red sheets, unwanted touching, toenails, pool, v...

Angel: “It’ll be out there. It’s got to keep trying to make a connection.” Cordelia: “Why?” Angel: “Because that’s what lonely people do.” Kara, Sam and Penny dive headfirst into the dating scene in 1999 Los Angeles, swapping war stories from the the trials, tribulations and dangers of dating.  The trio’s conversation meanders through the episode and hits on tropes of Film Noir, pick-up lines, LGB...

“Kathy's evil. I'm an evil fighter. It's simple. I'm gonna have to kill her.” Sam joins the podcast and the trio dive head first into dorm life at UC Sunnydale. The conversation wanders through a series of topics, including gum, Cape Cod, coastal Maine and lighthouses, neurodivergent demons, aggressive milk-drinking, that Peloton commercial, the Boston Museum of Bad Art (link below), romantic gest...

“I don't wanna share my feelings. I don't wanna open up. I wanna find the guy who killed Tina, and I wanna look him in the eye. Then I'm gonna share my feelings.” Angel arrives in Los Angeles seeking redemption for his past sins, determined to help those in need. He rescues a woman named Buffy from a group of demons, showcasing his abilities and commitment to fighting evil. Angel meets Cordelia Ch...

“I’m nice to meet.” The Scooby Duo are back and happy to be diving into the fourth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with “The Freshman.” We accompany Buffy through her first few days at UC Sunnydale,  buying overpriced textbooks, signing up for classes, being intimidated by mean professors and annoyed by a perky roommate, and Sunday. Penny and Kara are back to their tangents like not a day has p...

“Awesome, oh wow! Like, totally freak me out! I mean, right on!” Becky joins the Scooby Duo to dig into this competitive cheerleading film from 2000. The three touch on topics from submarine safety, Vivarin, redheads, diet culture, 2000s fashion, homophobia, the need for more of the Clovers, aging, self-image, antitrust and business ethics, superstitions, libraries, spirit fingers, and of course,...

“Congratulations to the class of 1999. You all proved more or less adequate. This is a time of celebration, so sit still and be quiet.”After numerous delays, Penny, Kara and Sam finally managed to get together to talk about this epic Season 3 finale. The trio dive deep into celebrity deaths, music festivals, pay phones, doctors of Sunnydale, collect calls, the neuroscience of pain and pleasure, HI...

“Orders? I don’t think I’m going to be taking any more orders.”Welcome back, Sam! The trio gets into it about late 90s culture, yearbooks, gum, optimism and pessimism, that pink dress, the leather pants, the Mayor as father figure, The 100, changes in representation for queer characters on TV, tropes, mansplaining, sass, toxic workplaces, graduations, tanning, high school dances and hamster happin...