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Joss Whedon, Music Man
James Marsters, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Joss Whedon by Kevin Parry/WireImage.com
Joss Whedon couldn’t contain himself. So jazzed that his landmark musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was being screened at the legendary Cinerama Dome theater (site of this year’s awesome Paley Fest), he sneaked into the audience to watch one of the numbers before rejoining that old gang of his for group photos before taking the stage for a retrospective Q&A (moderated by yours truly). Like me, I think he would have rather just sat in the theater to drink it in. But there was catching up to do.
I’ve finally met someone whose passion for musicals outstrips mine (if only because he’s genius enough to be able to write one). The reason Joss arrived too late to set up the screening (following my own opening remarks) was because he came straight from wrapping production of his next musical project: Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, an entirely independent made-for-Internet (but no word yet on where you’ll find it) musical-comedy, conceived during the fallow strike period.
Here’s what we know: Three acts, or episodes. 30 minutes total. Written with his brothers. Starring, as the title would-be super-villain, the versatile Neil Patrick Harris (whom Joss told he he saw and loved in his and my favorite composer Stephen Sondheim’s 2004 Assassins revival) and Whedon repertory favorite Nathan Fillion as the hero. Felicia Day (who played Vi, one of the slayerettes in Buffy’s final season) rounds out the main cast. In a nod to Buffy’s “Once More With Feeling” musical episode, Joss’s old partner in crime Marti Noxon (well remembered for her “parking ticket” aria) has a cameo as well. (Marti introduced the screening, telling a funny story of how she and Joss once sneaked into a sing-along screening of the episode, and how tickled she was when fans threw underwear at her on the screen—referring to a lyric in which she says she isn’t wearing any.)
How much do we want to see and to be able to sing along to this Doctor Horrible? Almost as much as the legions of fans who camped out for hours (some overnight, we’re told) in hopes of getting into the Cinerama Dome for Thursday’s marquee Paley Center event. In a gracious gesture, shortly before it was time to go on stage, Sarah Michelle Gellar corralled the troops to go outside and sign autographs for some of the stalwart Buffy-ites.
Some behind-the-scenes observations of this feel-good night, which went by for me in a giddy blur. Backstage in the waiting area (“It’s not very green for a green room,” joked Charisma Carpenter, sounding very Cordy-like), the mood was like a high-school reunion (of really gorgeous people), with hugs and laughs and catching up—including congratulations for Michelle Trachtenberg landing her new Gossip Girl gig. Seth Green, a scream on stage, described himself as Sarah’s “watcher” for the night, staying close by her side as her official “date” for the event as they mingled. The last to arrive: James Marsters, just off a plane from Mexico City, where he was filming the big-screen Dragonball, but determined not to let the fans down. (Eliza Dushku, soon to star in Joss’s Dollhouse, and Alyson Hannigan had earlier bowed out after being previously announced.) Going mostly unnoticed through all of the hubbub: the classic musical episode itself, being shown on a monitor in the upstairs holding area. Emma Caulfield (Anya), as funny off-camera as on, smiled with a cringe when I pointed out that her big number (complete with crazy dancing) with Xander had just started. She said it was like looking at an old yearbook, though she (like everyone) is proud of the show. A fan gave her a little stuffed bunny (Anya’s biggest phobia) before she went out on stage. I’m not sure what happened to it.
For the actual what-got-said, check out Michael Ausiello’s report. For me, this was one of those brushes with greatness I know I’ll never forget. I’ll be humming the highlights for years.
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Mar 21, 2008 4:37 AM
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Thanks for the post. Ever since you mentioned the Buffy reunion in your Ask Matt column, I've been eagerly waiting to hear how it all went down. Maybe someone will post excerpts on Youtube.
Just wanted to say that my passion for musical matches yours and Whedon's, and I thank you for reviewing the recent _Company_ production and for reviewing the _High School Musical_ phenomenon with an open heart. The Buffy musical episode is amazing, and I make sure to screen parts of it whenever I teach a university course on the musical. I also show clips from the _Gilmore Girls_ episode with scenes from _Fiddler on the Roof_, which I believe accurately captures community theater.
I'm writing a dissertation on 1930s musicals, so my mind revolves around these things. Musical lovers are out there. Keep up the great work!
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Mar 21, 2008 7:47 AM
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I'm so jealous and wish I could have been there! I recently have had a lot of time on my hands and started re-watching every episode of Buffy, and I wish there were more shows as consistently well-written and -acted as that show was. And sometimes un-written...one of my favorites still is "Hush," which is so chilling and creepy! About the only show now that I can see my self watching over again like I do Buffy is Lost.
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Mar 21, 2008 7:50 AM
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Matt -
Thank you so much for bringing us up to date on the webisodes and your take on the panel. I love that you and Ausiello give different perspectives on the same event.
I hope Whedon does make it to Broadway someday. He is multi-talented and has been to long out of the limelight. We need him on the small screen, the big screen and on Broadway.
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Mar 21, 2008 9:40 AM
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Thanks for the recape Matt. The whole event sounds exciting and bit surreal.
As a huge Buffy fan myself it definitely makes me happy to see the enthusiasm for the show has certainly not wayned and continues to demonstrate what a milestone it was as a show and in pop culture.
Your recollection of the events are great. I only wish I could have been there to experience it personally. I hope we get to hear more about it during this week's podcast (that is if you will be there for it.)
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Mar 21, 2008 9:46 AM
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They've GOT to put this out on dvd. They would make a ton of money with all these great panels this year.
I'm jealous Matt.
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Mar 21, 2008 10:37 AM
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Morning after. Thanks for all the nice comments so far. About a possible DVD release: It's probably more likely that it will go out with some future BUFFY studio release when the show goes the Blu-Ray route. This isn't an absolute, and I agree the Paley Center would be smart to put it out there (if they were given the OK to do so), but I'm fairly confident it will eventually be available to all, and you won't have to travel to either the NY or LA Paley Centers to view it. Before the panel, one of the Paley Center folks (an extremely nice and professional group) told me that she's keeping a record of all the e-mails she has got so far, requesting a DVD of this event, and that when news is known of where it will turn up, she'll let them know. (This is not a suggestion to swamp them with e-mails, just a note to stay patient, because there's no way someone, probably 20th, isn't going to take advantage of this historic gathering.)
My only regret about the reunion, and you'll be a step ahead of me if you're read Ausiello's recap, is that I didn't cut off the idiot who asked the first audience question about favorite movie/iPod songs. But once Joss answered (with another shout-out to Sondheim, by the way), the ball got rolling and I felt helpless to stop it. Live and learn, but it was a colossal waste of time when more tangible and heartfelt questions out there (including some I and the Paley Center had gathered online) could have been addressed.
Otherwise, what a trip. Rewatching a number of classic Buffy episodes (a luxury I rarely get to indulge in a normal TV year) was quite an eye-opening experience. The show holds up. I think it's truly timeless. So much fun and yet so painful and wrenching.
I saw Jane Espenson and Drew Goddard afterward (she has moved on to the most excellent Battlestar Galactica and he is doing Lost, gave us Cloverfield and penned the current Buffy arc including the Buffy-sleeps-with-Slayer twist), and both acknowledged that much of the best TV of our time wouldn't be what it was without Buffy having been there first. A true classic
One last note: Before the screening, I hung out for a bit in the green room with Pushing Daisies' Bryan Fuller, who was center stage on the Paley Fest's opening weekend. He is very excited about the tougher, more plot-driven direction the show is going next season. But he was there to soak up the Buffy love. He was first introduced to the show when it was last at the Paley Fest, early in the show's run, brought to the screening by a true fan. From there, Fuller was hooked, and continued to be. Like Joss, he was thrilled to get to see "Once More with Feeling" on the big screen. Who wouldn't be?
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Edited by Matt Roush at 03/21/2008 8:50 AM
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Edited by Matt Roush at 03/21/2008 8:54 AM
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Mar 21, 2008 11:49 AM
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Rewatching a number of classic Buffy episodes was quite an eye-opening experience. The show holds up. I think it's truly timeless.
I completely agree. Buffy is a show I can watch over and over and it never gets old or boring. It just as good, if not better the more I watch it. I notice something new every time a re-watch an episode. It's something rare and amazing and will go down in history as one of the best tv shows ever. It changed tv.
Thanks for the Bryan Fuller scoop too. Cool to know he's a buffy fan. I'm so excited and impatiently waiting for Pushing Daisies season 1 dvds and for the start of season 2.
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Mar 21, 2008 12:46 PM
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Matt:
Moderating is a skill like any other. Next time, you'll hopefully be a little more controlling about such an occurrence and willing to stop disruptive, non-relevant questions right up front. I'm sure you'll get another shot at Paley. Maybe for Veronica Mars or something else equally cool.
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Mar 21, 2008 1:17 PM
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I wish I could've been there. I would've felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. Buffy is my all-time favorite show and possibly the best show ever. I hope what transpired at the reunion will finally put to rest all of those ridiculous rumors about SMG and Joss Whedon. Thanks for the info!
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Mar 21, 2008 6:35 PM
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Actually, I'm back at Paley next Thursday to moderate the closing night panel on MAD MEN. I will be more than prepared should someone ask the cast this question -- although in this case, it might actually be appropriate if they were asked something about what their favorite 60s movie/song/TV show was, given the nostalgia factor. Still, to anyone thinking of coming, we're all happiest if the questions pertain somehow to the show and/or career.
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Mar 21, 2008 6:45 PM
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Wow Matt I have a tear in my eye reading this, just thinking about how wonderful it must have been to be in that room. My most favorite show of all time, it changed my life. I of course own every season and can watch it a million times and its still never enough. Everything about me is Buffy related, including my MySpace page. LOL My friends don't even bother commenting about it because they know of my love.
I truly wish i could have been there, it would have been so surreal for me. However, knowing that you, a big of fan as any was there, I can kind of live it through you. I may be 34 years old, but I feel like a teen when I'm with the Scooby's!
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Mar 21, 2008 10:04 PM
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Great blog, Matt. I was one of the many people who couldn't get tickets to the Buffy panel (they sold out in three minutes!), so I'm glad to read blogs about it! And it's absolutely true that fans camped out overnight to get good seats at the Buffy panel--when I was leaving the FNL panel Wednesday night there were already a couple of fans there with camp chairs and blankets. And these are folks who already had tickets! 
All of the Paley Festival panels from 2005 on are available for viewing at both the Manhattan and Beverly Hills Paley Center libraries. The 2008 panels aren't available yet, but will probably be there next month. If you do go to the Paley Center to view panels from previous festivals, I'd recommend getting there early enough to have enough time to watch them--each show is about two hours long (including the episode/s shown) and if you're not done by closing time they will kick you out! I'm hoping Paley will make the Buffy panel available on DVD (like they did with Desperate Housewives). But until then, you can watch highlights here and view photos from the event here.
Also, regarding Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, keep checking this fan site and the Assumed to Be Official site.
Good luck with Mad Men, Matt!
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Mar 24, 2008 10:30 AM
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