Buffy Between The Lines A fan audio drama that explains what happened when the cameras stopped…

On October 6th, Between the Lines Studios debuted with its first episode of Buffy: Between the Lines,” Beginning At The End.” Now, over seven months later, Season one finally comes to a close with Episode 12, “A Slayer’s Job Is Never Done.”

It’s been a long, hard summer for our Scoobies. They learned the hard way that the Hellmouth waits for no Slayer. While struggling to deal with Buffy’s untimely death, they’ve had to battle a steady stream of demons and beasties, and it hasn’t been easy. As they rush to find Dawn and stop Javert, the last of the Summers girls decides to make a sacrifice of her own. Meanwhile, the Navajo Spirits watch everything with growing concern.

Between the Lines Producer and Ringleader, Tabitha Grace Smith, wrote the finale, taking on the somewhat daunting task of saving Dawn, killing Javert, tying up all the loose ends, and bringing the characters back for Joss and Co to pick up in Season 6. Oh, and let’s not forget, turning everyone into kittens. She does a spectacular job of bringing everything together, and in true Buffy form, throwing us a curveball or two.

This episode hit all the right marks. High, low, funny, sad, it was all there. The music of composer, Austin Wintory, tied everything together beautifully. And just as episode one picked up directly after the end of season five, episode twelve takes us right up to the moment season six begins. Which was a fun and unexpected touch.

With dedication and awesome performances from everyone, Season one of BBtL definitely ended on a high note. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has taken part in this amazing project. From the producers to the street team members, the actors, editors, writers, and everyone in between. You’ve heard it before, and I’ll say it again. Thank you for bringing Buffy back.

A few parting thoughts as we leave BBtL for the summer. Do what you can to spread the love. There are still a lot of Buffy fans out there. Let’s see how many of them we can hook before season two. And in the meantime, why not pull out your DVDs and brush up on the good old days of Sunnydale High before BBtL comes back for its second season in August.

See you in Season Two!

P.S. I want a Kitten Spike plushie.

Quote of the Episode Award goes to:
Dawn: Maybe I’ll never be a super strong superhero like Buffy, besides who wants to work nights anyway? But if I’ve learned anything this summer, it’s that all of us are heroes. Even when we don’t feel like it.

A Review of Episode 11 – Oldies Night

Time is running out for the Scoobies. Dawn is missing, Javert moves his final pieces into play, the BuffyBot is on the fritz, and men are turning up dead all over Sunnydale. Not to mention that Willow, Xander, Anya, and Tara are stretched to breaking point with worries about resurrecting Buffy. The moment of truth draws closer. Will the scoobs be able pull it all off?

Paving the way for BBTL’s final season one episode, Beer Good Foamy holds the pen responsible for Episode 11, Oldies Night. Filled with BGF’s trademark snappy dialogue (and one or two Angel jokes.) this episode is just another example of how awesome BBtL really is.

Dawn does some unexpected Bonding with Javert, the scoobies find themselves facing off against a man-hating vampire named Elizabeth, who is ripping her way through the citizens of Sunnydale. Even with everything coming up Doomsday in the background, I thought that this episode was an excellent look into Dawn’s character. Most fans would agree that Dawn Summers isn’t exactly the most beloved character in Buffy’s world. Yes, she can be annoying. Yes, she can be whiny. But in a touching scene, we get to see a bit of the inner turmoil that Dawn works her hardest to hide from those around her. She’s feeling lost and abandoned, and that’s never good when there’s a destruction seeking vampire in the neighborhood.

As Dawn lies sleeping on Javert’s couch, the rest of us are left to anxiously await the finale of season one. Who’ll live, who’ll die, and just how on Earth are the Scoobies going to keep California from becoming the next Atlantis?

Quote of the Episode Award goes to:

Rich: Dude, I wouldn’t touch her with a ten foot pole. She looks pissed. I bet she’s one of those feminimy…fenemin…pfft, lesbians.

A Review of Ep 10 – Summers Women Should Never Celebrate Birthdays

When will we ever learn? There are certain things in the Jossverse that just never end well. Relationships, high school, patching up the Summers’ living room window, and of course…birthdays. So as Dawn’s fifteenth birthday rolls around, and the scoobies make with the party planning, you can bet that things won’t be ending happily over Phoenix tongue sweetened cake.

The Dawn Chronicles continue in Episode 10, Summers Women Should Never Celebrate Birthdays, when the littlest Summers gets a new diary for her birthday. Through voiceovers and narratives, we’re given the inside scoop on just what Dawn has been going through. Meanwhile, Xander and Spike form an unlikely alliance when something starts causing trouble at good old Sunnydale High.

Written by BBTL super-gal, Emma Rawlin, this episode packed a lot into its forty-five minutes. I’ve found that in the eps penned by Emma, we are given the chance to view the characters through someone else’s eyes. In Episode 4, CTRL + ALT + DEL, we got to analyze the Scoobs through the BuffyBot’s processors, and now we’re given the chance to glimpse them from Dawn’s POV. Granted the diary of a 15 year old girl, is probably going to be a bit more self-involved…but we are slipped wonderful moments and insights throughout the episode. As an added bonus, we’re given some great interaction between Spike and Xander as well. Including one of the most heated arguments the show has seen thus far. Kudos to Nick and Chris!

Ending on a cliffhanger with the action coming to a head, we’re down to the final two episodes. Keep your iPods plugged in, because you aren’t going to want to miss what BBTL has in store for you.

Quote of The Episode Award goes to:

Xander: What the hell was that, Captain Peroxide?

Spike: I was making you look like an idiot with no real effort.