Espenson drafts - The Harsh Light of Day






This is an episode I turn to with amazing regularity. It was the cornerstone of my first major keynote address at the Whedon Studies Association conference in Arkansas in 2008; the image I'm using here will, I hope, be the cover image of my new book, and the episode's importance in showing us the post-Angel Buffy and the post-Angel Buffy is staggering.



Espenson has some great insights into the ep, a couple of which I offer below.

The Outline is here 

First draft

Second draft

Third Draft

Espenson says, "You'll notice a big change in Parker between the first and second drafts –- Joss pointed out that his insincerity was too clear in the first draft, so I tried to write him more genuine after that".



and also, "This episode was another case, like ‘Superstar’, in which we wrote an extended role for an actor who had previously only had a much smaller part (Mercedes, Harmony). We gambled that she'd be able to do this and she was much better than we'd even hoped. Her Harmony added so much to this ep""


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Celebrity Culture, Brand Whedon and the post-Romantic fallacy

Image
Over the last couple of weeks there have been a number of responses to the allegations made by Kai Cole against her former husband, television producer and self-declared feminist Joss Whedon. The accusations of serial infidelity against her with numerous female co-workers have produced, on the one hand, maliciously joyful expressions of schadenfreude (‘see, I always knew he was no feminist’ / ‘ha – all icons get what’s coming in the end’); and on the other such out-pourings of grief and anger one might think he had murdered all newborns. Whatever the truth of the claims, and whatever the justification of the responses (some of which have been eye-wateringly splenetic), what is clear is that Brand Whedon has taken a hit. I do not know, and do not care about Joss Whedon as a person (I don’t mean I wish him harm; simply that I am not interested in him). I am however interested in Brand Whedon. I have spent nearly 20 years writing about it, so it makes sense that I have a view. Bran...
Read more

Draft scripts for 'Buffy' #1 First Date

Image
During the Writers' strike of 2006, I was fortunate to strike up a correspondence with Buffy , Angel and Firefly writer Jane Espenson . The email exchange will be published in my forthcoming Joss Whedon book. But in addition, she sent me drafts to all the episodes she wrote while at Mutant Enemy (the production company that made the shows mentioned). For the second batch of drafts for 'The Replacement' go here .  I use part of some of them in my book to highlight the creative process of producing a television show, but as I was re-watching 'First Date' last night ( Buffy season 7, episode 14), I thought I'd post what I have of them. They belong to FOX Television. The shifts between the Outlines and version one, and version two and the aired show are really instructive. Little details such as the shift away from acetylene  torches to ropes (presumably because of the scope for bondage jokes, and the eventual fate of poor old Xander), or the removal of C...
Read more

Buffy Draft: End Of Days 7.21

Image
Here is the next set of drafts from Jane Espenson (this one co-written with Doug Petrie). This one is 'End of Days', the brilliant nail-biting lead in to the final ever televisual Buffy . Faith and the girls are blown up, Buffy meets a very old woman who tells her about a scythe, Spike and Buffy get close; Angel and Buffy get seemingly closer... It's a great episode. Only two drafts, but also a snippet from the email correspondence between myself and Espenson, some of which will be in my forthcoming book, Joss Whedon . The drafts remain the property of FOX television, and the email snippet is copyright to Manchester University Press. Draft 1 Draft 2 " Attached is ‘End of Days’, another co-write with Doug.  He wrote all the big actiony bits, I wrote all the funny Andrew/Anya, Willow/Giles, Xander/Dawn stuff." Go here for a little snippet about one of her insights into "The Replacement" And try out for drafts for Band Candy , and mor...
Read more