Timeline?

[-beardo-]

First of i would like to say hi, i am new to the forum. This place is great by the way.

So anyway, it has been stated in interviews by Joss and other writers that season eight takes place a year and a half after chosen, placing it in the latter half of 2004. Now there are alot of inconsistencies like, the inclusion of Daniel Craig in his James Bond swimming shorts (Not to mention the fact that Daniel Craig was slightly famous in 2004 and that was only in the UK). The mention of Amy Winehouse when she was unheard of in 2004. So i think the writers should think about what year they are writing it in and keep the pop culture to the minimum.

Now like most Buffy seasons will this season take place over one year, or a series of years, since it will take along time for the complete release of the Season Eight comics. Anyone know.

Thanks

[KingofCretins]

Scott Allie confirmed that the pop culture stuff should not be read as reflecting the timeline -- they were just taking shortcuts to funny things, which is valid.

As of 8.11, it is apparently late December, more likely early January of 2005 in the Buffyverse... shortly before Buffy's 24th birthday.

[Sosa lola]

Will there be an issue centered on Buffy's birthday?

Anyway, it's a year and a half after Chosen. I think Joss should have let it be more years after Chosen, because I'm still confused about how Dawn had gotten to college when she didn't finish her second year in high school.

[alexa]

Yeah I know.. what I got from Joss' comment was that it was 'at least 18 months later' It has to be a little more because of Dawn's age.. unless she's a child prodigy. That's the only thing that annoyed me about the time line, other then that I don't think it matters.

Be cool to have a bday issue.. and or a Halloween issue.

[vampmogs]

Will there be an issue centered on Buffy's birthday?

I had predicted that Issue #16 would be a Buffy birthday stand alone after Xander mentions her birthday in 'A Beautiful Sunset' much like Willow did prior to Buffy's episode in 'DoubleMeat Palace.' But now I'm not sure as some have claimed the Buffy/Fray crossover episode will take place from Issue #16.

Though on the topic of Daniel Craig. If he was in fact, a little famous in England around this time doesn't it make sense Buffy knows who he is as she resides in Scotland?

[KingofCretins]

Joss said "at least" 18 months later. Scott Allie later said it had only been "about a year" and that the pop culture stuff wasn't significant to the timeline.

Taking those two pieces of information together, the message appears to be clearly that of dropping the "at least" -- Season 8 began in October/November of 2004 and it's now early January 2005 for them.

[vampmogs]

Joss said "at least" 18 months later. Scott Allie later said it had only been "about a year" and that the pop culture stuff wasn't significant to the timeline.

Whilst it isn't there to tell us anything about the timeline, I do think it was a little careless of them to drop in such references if it doesn't make sense for Buffy to have heard of these people. It makes about as much sense as Buffy making a pop culture reference about Jack Sparrow before 'Pirates of the Caribbean' was even conceived.

[Vampire in Rug]

I think some people are too concerned about the timeline. Does it really matter what year the comics are set in? Comics are published pretty slowly, do we really want our characters to lag behind when it comes to pop culture refrences, historical refrences and technological advancements? I don't. In fact, I wouldn't care if they made season 8 contempory. They could flash forward to 2008 without explanation for all I care.

I enjoyed the Daniel Craig joke, and I don't really care if Buffy technically shouldn't know who he is. We all do, and it's supposed to be a joke. It's not like we had Faith make a refference to Jack Sparrow in that season 3 flashback.

[vampmogs]

I do think it'd be nice to know when it is set just in relation to 'After the Fall' and it'd be nice to know Buffy's exact age. What I can't figure out is why Joss is hesistant to give us an exact time? Plot point? Who knows?

[KingofCretins]

Between Joss and Scott Allie, there really isn't any question now about the Season 8 timeline -- Buffy is going to turn 24 on her birthday. When it takes place in relation to "After the Fall" is, of course, anyone's guess -- especially since we have no frame of reference for the rate at which time might be passing in that dimension anyway.

[Moscow Watcher]

I noticed that the chronology in comics is much more elastic than in movies and TV shows. Superman has appeared about 70 years ago and he's still young. Peter Parker appeared forty years ago, and he's still a teenager. "Comics time" usually is "perpetual today".
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Honda cbr600rr specifications

[-beardo-]

But it is different with buffy because it should have a timeline, because its based on a television series with a timeline, so therefore tyhey should not mess it up. i wouldnt be surprised if joss had in his office a season eight timeline that he has planned.

i suppose one way of looking at it could be, that everythings a little different in the buffyverse e.g daniel craig is famous and has been on bond in 2004 and amy winehouse is famous in 2004, i mean the buffyverse has got demons etc why cant pop culture be different

[Moscow Watcher]

But it is different with buffy because it should have a timeline, because its based on a television series with a timeline, so therefore tyhey should not mess it up. i wouldnt be surprised if joss had in his office a season eight timeline that he has planned.

i suppose one way of looking at it could be, that everythings a little different in the buffyverse e.g daniel craig is famous and has been on bond in 2004 and amy winehouse is famous in 2004, i mean the buffyverse has got demons etc I think why cant pop culture be different

The medium has changed. So I suppose the rules have also changed.

For us, for the audience, almost a year has passed between Renee's sentry duty in #2 and her next one #12. But, obviously, the time in Buffyverse now flows much more slowly.

TV shows follow a straight timeline mostly because of actors' age and it comics timeline it's not a factor. Comics depend only on the creator's imagination. Besides, Joss has hinted at least once that he'd dump the comics storylines if there will be a possibility on a feature movie in the future.

So, I think we'll continue having fresh pop-culture references, although canonically they all stay in 2004.
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Avandia Recall

[vampmogs]

Besides, Joss has hinted at least once that he'd dump the comics storylines if there will be a possibility on a feature movie in the future.

Didn't Joss state that if a feature film was to happen that it wouldn't happen until after season 8?

[Moscow Watcher]

http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/articles/1551700/20070206/story.jhtml

MTV: Is there ever a danger in creating these new storylines that you paint yourself into a corner if or when you do a "Buffy" movie?

Whedon: At some point you have to let go of that fear. The movie audience is going to be different. In terms of a Buffy movie, both David [Boreanaz] and Sarah [Michelle Gellar] have pretty much got swinging careers and have never really wanted to revisit the characters anyway. It's doubtful that would happen. I never say never, and it would be fun to do it with them. I would be willing to overlook certain discrepancies. Ultimately, a movie would have to pick them up later in their lives anyway. I would have to fudge it with David, like "He got his mortality back for five years and then he lost it again," or something like that. I don't think anybody's going to mind that much if they get a movie.

It's a year-old interview. And, curiously, Angel "got his mortality back" by now. So I suppose "certain discrepancies" will be overlooked easily.
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[vampmogs]

I don't think that quote really indicates he'd dump the season 8 storyline so much as have to fudge his way through a few things. He did state a movie would "pick up later in their lives anyway" which kind of indicates he means after the events of season 8 and After the Fall.

If he ever did re-write the story to any major extent, which included completely changing things that happened in s8.. I'd be so majorly pissed that a on screen movie wouldn't make up for that.

[Heather]

I had predicted that Issue #16 would be a Buffy birthday stand alone after Xander mentions her birthday in 'A Beautiful Sunset' much like Willow did prior to Buffy's episode in 'DoubleMeat Palace.' But now I'm not sure as some have claimed the Buffy/Fray crossover episode will take place from Issue #16.

The Buffy/Fray crossover story arc could still include Buffy's birthday.

*Spoilers for #16 - but only from details and speculation about the cover*

Spoiler:

That might be why Buffy's wearing high heels and a fancy dress on the cover. Perhaps she was at her big birthday bonanza? And then she gets thrown into the future to meet the one and only slayer of the distant future. She gets a huge wake-up call when she learns why there's only one slayer in the future and BAM! gets thrown back to the present (err...past, apparently).

It could make for a really good birthday episode if they did it right.

[-beardo-]

Here is what i think it is

Late November:
The Long Way Home

Late November/Early December:
The Chain

Early/Mid-December:
No Future For You

Late December:
Anywhere But Here

Early January:
A Beautiful Sunset


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