Welcome back gentle listeners, to the second part of the life of Daniel Osborne. Man of the people. Were of the wolves. Friend of the slayer. Zen of the calm.

Turns out, having 4 months in Tibet really helps you settle your demons. If only Spike or Angel had known about this magical place, perhaps we wouldn't have had so much white male privileged vampire angst going on for seven seasons.

Anyway, Oz is back for Willow, but Willow's all about Tara. We have her come out to Buffy (which Buffy doesn't take all that well - if the show was made nowadays that would have been handled so much better!). We also discuss the toxic fandom back then, and honestly how if people were real fans they wouldn't be so damn pissy and troll-y just because something happens on a tv show or in a movie that they don't agree with!

We also learn that:

Scientist number one really isn't a fan of the How I Met Your Mother finale. But honestly, who is. You set up a show called How I Met Your Mother and then get rid of the mother?!

Scientist number two has two ships dangling. Don't ask her to choose one. It's just impossible, okay!

Ok, lab coats off - it's us! Taake and Athena! Fooled you with our cunning disguises, right? And that's how you break into the Initiative, people!

It's a shame that the Oz in Oz's last episode in the Buffyverse is a little creepy and entitled. He deserved a better send-off than this. I mean, we still would get naughty in the sheets with him, but maybe we'd give him a fake number after, because dude just won't leave his ex to move on with her new love. He still deserved clothing from the Initiative though, no one deserves that sort of inhumane treatment post-torture.

But regardless of our feelings towards New Moon Rising Oz, we both agree just how wonderful Oz actually was. He was well-written and well-rounded and genuinely a joy to see on-screen. If only Austin Powers hadn't stolen our precious from us. Just linking this episode to the last one thematically there (because Gandalf!).

Naughty in the sheets? Oh, behave!

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Taake & Athena

In the first part of our two-part look at Oz, we delve into Daniel Osborne, specifically the episode where he's Gandalf.... Werewolf…. Ken doll. Huh?! Whatever; he's a wolfman god dammit! Awooooooo!

In other news, if you're a wizard with a long beard, Taake thinks you're foxy. I guess Dumbledore is in with a shot there too. And if you have bad curtains, well maybe don't invite her round. She hates bad curtains.

Also, all you have to do to annoy Athena is to mention Veruca. Just writing these show notes is making her cross. Damn you, Veruca! You leave sweet Willow and Oz alone! Bitch! And don't even get her started on "a werewolf in love".... Pass the cheese (not the cheese man!)

But seriously, we talk Phases and how chill Aunt Maureen is that her son Jordy is a werewolf; that he's going round biting people. Kid needs some serious discipline. This is one family heirloom Oz didn't want to inherit.  Or maybe he did; he's just so damn cool all the time!

Xander & Larry is our new favourite ship. Buffy and Giles is not. Keep the Buffy/Giles erotic fanfiction to yourself Taake!

Oh and American Werewolf in London came out in 1981, not the seventies. To be fair, Athena wasn't born then so how would she know.... plus all her werewolf knowledge comes from Being Human, which is a great show by the way. British version, not American.

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You can also email us with podcast feedback, comments & suggestions to [email protected]

Taake & Athena

We wanted to put something out there to explain our sudden leave of absence. Athena's cat also has something serious to say about the situation!

We have had some serious gremlins going on - we mean the bad kind, not the cute mogwai kind! Our Skype recording software has given up the ghost which means trying to find an alternative that works for us being in different countries. It also means the episode we recorded is almost completely inaudible. 

Basically Cordelia pressed Del for Deliver! 

And so, we think we've found a solution for our issues after some research and help from other podcasters, so we hope to be back for good really soon! 

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Taake & Athena & Athena's Cat

This fortnight we talk about Smile Time, an episode of Angel we both adore. Puppet Angel is literally the greatest version of Angel ever, even if his nose is made of felt and comes off. Why is Angel so much more comfortable as a puppet than as a soulless vampire human hybrid? I guess once you go felt, it's the hand you're dealt. Nina loves Puppet Angel so much he needs a Gepetto. That is not a euphemism.

We're officially the only podcast where "to Illyria" becomes a verb. Have you Illyria'd anyone recently? We don't advise it.

Why is Wesley acting like such a douchebag this episode? Fred is clearly automatically into you! We know she wasn't before, but for the purposes of serious plot progression she is now! So stop being an idiot before you lose her for good.... it's almost like it was written as a tragedy on purpose?!

We also find out that: Athena really likes wood and has just found out H&M are Swedish. She's weirded out by creepy child actors who can roll their eyes back into their heads. How do casting agents find these kids? Tom-ahh-toe Taake really likes felt and doesn't like orange velour pants from H&M. She also says "nasty" in a weird way. She also does not want anyone to buy her a real life Puppet Angel, even though she thinks he's SO CUTE! Tom-ay-toe

We also discuss the habit TV shows have of always putting couples together; and where characters always switch from one partner to another. Most people aren't cool if you dump them and go out with their friend, so why do TV shows insist that it's okay? What about the logistics of secret passages behind cabinets? How do you get out? How do you re-block up the doorway with the cabinet from the other side? What if someone puts something heavy in the cabinet and you can't get out? So. Many. Questions.

We still love Smile Time though!

Many thanks to our board member Fuffy Baith for suggesting we review this episode. We do take suggestions, so please feel free to message us on Buffy-Boards, Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr with any ideas!

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Taake & Athena

Welcome back to Once More, with Podcast; the nubile podcast which look at Buffy thematically. We've had a brief hiatus but we're now back and ready to take on 2018. So that's Buffy's 21st year. The show can drink in America now. This makes us feel old.

Also making us feel old is when you go back to episodes when Giles is our age and we'd actually go out with him as a peer - it's depressing. We really need to start hanging out with some high schoolers.

It's the Puppet Show, with our special guest star.... US! And Sid!

Athena can't say Plincipar Flurblur's name, so we kept that little gem of a faux-pas in the episode for lols. "Prince-i-pal Flooooot-teeeeee"! And once you go wood, nothing's as good, not even 90s pleather.

Taake was the mean girl in high school. She was actual Cool Girl Number 4! And if your skirt is 1mm higher than knee length, Granny Taake will be on to you. And once you go vampire..... that's.....better (tumbleweed)

But really, we just wanna talk about Sid. He's creepy, he's pervy and he's full of innuendo about wood; Athena loves Sid. Taake just thinks he's creepy and pervy. Time's up for you too, wee little puppet pervert!

See you at the realm of evil for some short dresses and boots. Because cool girls don't wear denim.

We also shoutout to one of our favourite (and fellow) Buffy podcasts. Superior to us in every possible way. We love you Buffering the Vampire Slayer. You ladies are so awesome.

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Taake & Athena

**Sorry for the weird delay issues. We had some general recording issues with the software we use to record Skype and it seems to inadvertently have caused a 1-ish second delay on one end which makes it sound like we're constantly talking over each other (which granted we do occasionally, but not this much!)! We will be using new software for the next episode!**

Also, Buffy's birthday is not 27th January, it's 19th January! Ooops - faux pas!

Welcome to the final part of our Faith four-part adventure where we look at the Angel Season 1 episode 'Sanctuary'. It seems like only yesterday we met Faith; she was so deadly, so evil, so into torture.... and now she's so innocent and naive, and under Angel's protection, which doesn't go down well with his friends... y'know, the friends she beat up and tortured? I mean, what is Wesley & Cordelia's issue here?

And then Buffy comes back, and what's a girl to do when her ex-boyfriend is seen cuddling her ex-friend? Apparently, don't be yourself. Buffy isn't Buffy in this episode, which is odd considering it was written by Tim Minear & Joss Whedon.... but we digress.

We also find out that: Athena never reads the books for book club, unless it's Sweet Valley High, and once again flies coach to get on her high horse about the English language. But not in a helicopter while firing a gun, because that's really hard, both for her and for the Watchers' Council. Taake has some seriously love for Wesley, including many sketched hearts in a notepad. Honestly, we're surprised she hasn't started practising her signature as Mrs Taake Wyndham-Pryce.... is that before or after she marries Chris Evans though?

But really, the main thing we take from this episode is.... Is Angel his legal name? Is it actually Angel Angel? Does he have a social security number? How is his company legally recognised? Does the government know his true identity? How does he do his banking? And somehow this links the conversation to Super Mario Bros. Yeah, we wonder how this happens too!

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Taake & Athena

This episode we pull on our backless braless tops and dance with other girls' boyfriends in clubs, as Faith rocks up in Los Angeles and does a rather rubbish job of not standing out like a sore thumb! If only there was an evil law firm to help her earn a quick $15,000?! Turns out, all she needed was a hug in a rainy alley from a vampire with a soul....

Taake's body is still rejecting peas, and she cooks oats like chicken. It's a shame about that anaphylactic shock. Athena makes a pig's ear out of explaining where making a pig's ear out of it comes from. Pig's ear is genuinely also Cockney rhyming slang for beer, as is Richard Gere and King Lear.

Why didn't Giles contact us to let us know Faith was in town? When Phantom Dennis is a better security guard than in all of Wolfram and Hart, you know you need to make some changes to your evil legal firm staffing.

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Have you ever heard a mix of Jane Austen & The Inbetweeners? Well now you have!

This fortnight, Taake as Athena as Faith and Athena as Taake as Buffy are talking about Buffy as Faith and Faith as Buffy in Who Are You?! Pass the crimped possession, we're ready to Freaky Friday this bad boy!

There's much love for Sarah Michelle Gellar's performance as Faith; she's clearly having a ball in this episode. But seriously Scoobies.... you've been friends with Buffy for years - HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW BUFFY ISN'T BUFFY?!?!

We also discover that:

Taake used to have crimped hair that looked like an Afro and the evidence is out there. One million dollars to the person who finds that treasure. And then she starts talking about creepy baths and voodoo dolls. And she's supposed to be the sane one.

You should never ask Athena to do a convincing Swedish accent and she freely admits to being an idiot in her youth by not foreseeing Willow & Tara's relationship. She was a very naive teenager who just thought they were very good friends. Idiot!

Not as idiotic as American truck drivers though - don't leave your keys in your truck! It will get stolen, and probably not just by a slayer who's in the body of another slayer. Just sayin'.

Friley 4 ever though - still.

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Faith & Buffy, aka Taake & Athena. Or are they?

Welcome to part 1 of our epic Faith four-parter!

This fortnight, we're talking about This Year's Girl. Yep - we're putting out two episodes a month now for your audible pleasure. We're excited, but we get over it, honestly!

We talk about how good looking Eliza Dushku actually is as a coma patient, even surrounded by a dungeon hospital. Damn, girl. You make concrete look good!

We have so many questions though. How did Faith know where Giles lives? How did she know where Buffy goes to college and where she'd be at that exact time? How did she get her clothes back? How did she find a woman to beat up that wore exactly the same size clothes as her? Seriously, Faith has got some serious slayer skill-age going on!

We also find out that: Athena's dad is D'Hoffryn. Bet no-one expected that revelation! And she noticed the nurse dialling 4521. Clearly that's just someone's credit card PIN and not a telephone number. And yeah, it could be an internal extension, but whatever! Taake adds animal prints and floaty tops to her growing list of clothing hatreds. Understandably. And she woke up like this. Like what, we're still not sure. But it was totally like this.

Welcome to the latest episode of "Taake and Athena agree on stuff" - we're honestly trying not to agree. We've spent so long doing this podcast now that we're probably merging into one being. Does this mean we're becoming Adam?

And really, if we're talking about ships in this episode, Buffy & Faith come a disctint second to the main loves of Riley & Forrest. Seriously, could Forrest love this man any more? Friley 4 ever!

Lesson of the week: Remember kids, if you swear, you've not got vocal stuff.

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Taake & Athena

(aka It's all very great and erotic!) Guys. We really love Firefly! Like, we can't stress enough how much we love it. It's cowboys.... in space! It's so damn good. So we recorded a 15th anniversary show to literally fangirl all over it. And fangirl we did. It's smart, it's funny, it's dark, it's sensual, it makes us laugh and it makes us cry like babies. But enough about the podcast, this is about Firefly dammit!

It's literally the best cancelled show in the 'verse and if you've not seen it, do your DVD/Blu-Ray/Streaming collection a favour and just buy it. Buy it and watch it. You won't regret it. We swear by our pretty floral bonnets.

In this actually saucier-than-you-might-expect extended episode dedicated to our favourite big damn heroes, we discover that:

Taake is on the hunt for hidden bird flipping and still can't find a link to that Livejournal. She would also like to make it clear that she does not have nits, however she is as mad as a box of Taakes. Athena really really loves Alan Tudyk and were she not wed she would take him in a womanly fashion, whilst also deeply respecting Zoe and Wash as a relationship. #relationshipgoals indeed. Also never ever ask her to judge your poor village mud statue.

We also spend a little bit of time commemorating the wonderful and inimitable Ron Glass, aka Shepherd Book; the only main actor from the show to no longer be with us. RIP Ron, we loved your work in Firefly and Serenity, but mainly in Rugrats. You're much missed by all the fans.

We actually struggle to find stuff wrong with Firefly. It's not just so beloved because it's gone, but also because it was pretty damn great. But honestly, the show would still be the same without Simon & River. Just sayin'.

There's also no other podcast in the 'verse that can link Firefly and Anchorman. We guarantee it.

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Taake Early & Athena Tudyk, Mrses.