W/T the Hit Couple in Jan 1, 2002 issue of Soap Opera Weekly

[Nouvelle]

The January 1, 2002 issue of Soap Opera Weekly has a televison round up of the previous year. There are several Buffy mentions but the most important one is the Hit Couple, it goes to Willow and Tara. Here's all the cool bits:

IN CHARACTER:
HIT COUPLE:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Willow and Tara's lesbian relationship has been treated in a very mater-of-fact manner and never exploited (No "See the lesbians kiss!). Their affection is as casual and heartfelt as any TV couple's-they kiss, they cuddle-and they're even allowed to squabble!

MEMORABLE MOMENTS
HIT STORYLINE
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Poor Buffy always pays a steep price for being a herione. This time instead of being forced to kill her lover to stave off the apocalypse, she had to sacrifice her own life.

BEST SWEEPS STUNT:
"Buffy: The Musical" was an audacious experiment and an unabashed triumph. The songs were hummable, surprisingly polished, and the lyrics advanced the storylines and revealed each character's deepest secrets.

HIT TREND
BUTT-KICKING BABES
Call it tough-chick chic. Or female empowerment. Or just call them butt-kicking babes. But whatever you call them, do it with a smile on your face, buddy, because women who can kick your ass and look good doing it are all the rage on TV.
The queen bee is SMG's titular Buffy of BTVS, bane of the undead. Blah, blah, blah Jessica Alba etc.
These women are also drop-dead gorgeous-in less-enlightened times they would have gotten by on looks alone, but not in 2001. Which may open a new Pandora's box of pressure for young girls: It's not enough to look good in those designer shoes-now you have to be able to kick butt in them.

Two color photos are also printed. One is of Tara leaning into Willow and the other is of the gang standing together (from OMWF?) with Spike in the forefront and good views of W and T.

Not W/T but worth mentioning is,

BREAK-OUT (-OF-THE-CLOSET) PERFORMANCE
Laura Innes, ER
The revelation that Kerry is a lesbian was truly intriguing. Innes injected Kerry's realistic ambivalence with intense emotion and believability. She showed her sweeter side with Kimberly, but she's still the same strong-willed toughie.

TEACH ME TONIGHT:
Jeri Ryan, Boston Public
We'd never have played hooky if our teachers were as sexy as Ronnie Cooke, the vibrant new teacher at Winslow High. Ryan also portrays ex lawyer Ronnie as smart, savvy and sensitive. Anyone who wants to be teacher's pet, raise your hand.

[Warduke]

Thanks for posting that Nouvelle, great news for Buffy and really great news for our girls

[xita]

Yes, I have to get this, i know it's from a soap opera thing but it's cool cause you know it's still mainstream noticing the normalcy of our gals.. I am so proud.

[Katharyn]

Thanks Nouvelle! As Xita said good to be recognised in mainstream... though if that appeared in one of the UK soap magazine alongside the dire Crossroads, Brookside (never the same since Beth left!) et al I would not be happy at them being bracketed together!

Katharyn

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She's my always

[tyche]

There is a fairly long article on 'Buffy' in today's 'Mail on Sunday' magazine. (Yeah, I know the MoS is evil, but my mum pointed the article out to me.) No W/T reference so I'm not typing it up, but it's worth a look.

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Welcome to the nancy tribe...

[kissystarcowboy]

thanks nouvelle, for posting that. it always surprises me when buffy gets mentioned in soup opera magazines. anyway, yay for willow and tara for getting the couple award!

[Saena]

Yay! I'm very glad that Willow and Tara got the couple award, and also that OMWF was mentioned. Nouvelle, thanks a lot for the article!

[Forrister]

It's great that our girls are being recognised. I've always thought that they are the hottest couple on TV!! Woo Hoo!!!

Fiat amore, pereat mundus!
(Let there be love, even if the world perishes!)

[AmberB69]

YAY!

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Hello?! Gay now!

[Tara's Psychic Fairy]

Yay! Finaly they get noticed for being the most sweetest and hottest couple ever.

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"YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. ALL OF YOU. Just for being."

~Amber

[Rosenberg]

"Casual and heartfelt affection." The mainstream is finally getting it. Of course, they've been a hit couple with us for two years now.

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I'm very seldom naughty

[Pixie-Muso]

Nice that our girls got some recognition. Thanks for the post Nuovelle.

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"...the hardest thing in this world is to live in it..."
~Buffy, The Gift.

[kitten scout]

Thanks for the update Nouvelle. It's great to have our girls mentioned so favorably!

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I need you baby. I need you!

[Wiccagrrl]

Well, gee...if this is the kind of attention the show gets from those who do see Buffy as something of a Soap Opera...maybe that's not such a bad thing after all Great write up, so nice to see the mainstream beginning to get it. And I just love that W/T were this year's hit couple. Woo and Hoo.

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Tracy

Hear that Baby? You're my always.

[vixen willow]

WOOOHOOO!!! yay for Willow & Tara!

[~KISMIC~]

Big woo and hoo for Willow and Tara. But it's kinda sad that a Soap magazine can see how great the show is, but the EMMY PEOPLE can't...Lol, YES i AM still bitter!!
But still great to see so many different types of magazine/newspapers praising Buffy!
*~Kristy~*

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"Do you love her?"-Willow
Tara stroked a hand over
Willows cheek. "Not
like I love you," she
whispered..."Not yet."

[tommo]

I think the "mainstreaming" of Willow and Tara is the success here; that they are liked as a couple full stop. The fact that they're a lesbian couple just adds to our little triumph. And it's pretty groundbreaking stuff. I'm proud of them, in a funny kind of way. Our girls.

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"Bitter, party of one. Bitter, party of one." she muttered... ~ Four Months After by Capt. Murdock

[Cipher]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nouvelle:
The queen bee is SMG's titular Buffy of BTVS, bane of the undead. Blah, blah, blah Jessica Alba etc.

---

Heh. Was that how the article went or was that your editing? Buffy's the queen of kick-ass chicks... blah, blah Dark Angel... blah, blah Alias... (I forget her name but I gotta throw her out there, too).

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"Blah, blah, Gaia... blah, blah Moon."

[This message has been edited by Cipher (edited December 31, 2001).]quote:

[Wolfie]

Buffy's a soap opera? A SOAP OPERA?!?!?!!? Why wasn't I informed? Who did this, and why?!?!

*Nervously looks around for something solid to lean against*

Good that they're being recognised, though. For that, I will turn a blind eye to the soap opera thingy (shudders; adds a few mutters). Thanks for posting the news, though Nouvelle

[SJ]

Great news! Big yay for Willow&Tara!

[bothered]

I don't really have anything to add but a huge whooooooohey!

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How are you?
A little confused. I mean, I'm all sweaty, and trapped, no memory, hiding in a pipe from a vampire. And I think I'm kinda gay...

[Dazey]

Oooooooooh, I seem to have missed this when it was first posted. So cool! Though, you know, W/T don't so much squabble as have quiet and horribly wrenching arguments, but anyway. Thanks for posting!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cipher:
blah, blah Alias... (I forget her name but I gotta throw her out there, too).

---

That would be Jennifer Garner. Or more precisely, that would be The Yummy Jennifer Garner. I was kind of wondering if she was included in that blah blah-age. She way kicks butt!

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"Maybe we should be thinking inside the box. ...Sometimes I...I kinda like the box."quote:

[Cipher]

Thanks, Dazey! Duh! I knew her name at some point but had a mental block trying to recall it. And I agree; she is yummy! (D-Did I say that out loud? Uh, n-not that she's more yummy than Aly or Amber, I-I mean...)

Note that the blah blahs in my post were my own made-up version. I dunno if the article actually mentioned Jennifer Garner, but they'd be remiss if they left her out.

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"I really just said that, didn't I?"(D-Did I say that out loud? Uh, n-not that she's more yummy than Aly or Amber, I-I mean...)

[Puff]

Good on the soap opera world for noticing Buffy and the talent that is in it. And as always it is great to see Willow and Tara get recognition as a couple and a damn cute one at that

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Bloody hell, sodding, limey, shagging, knickers, bollocks...oh God...I'm English

[Nouvelle]

The blah, blah, blah, was my thing. A big thanks also heads out toward Dr. G who clarified my generic topic title from magazine alert to the more eye-cathing hit couple thing.

Sopa opera magazines pretty much consider any episodic television show to be a "soap opera". They rarely have in-depth stories on nighttime shows, but usually cover the actors and actresses in the "fashion and awards" features.

[xita]

Well, I just got this rag and I have to clear things up. Even those it is a soap opera magazine, these awards were for prime time shows. So they were given to dramas like the sopranos and comedies even. It will make those of us who thought they were singling out buffy as a soap better. They were not. It makes the hit couple award mean so much more I'll scan it when my computer gets fixed. .. grrrr argh...

[xita]

bumping cause I finally scanned the magazine