Entertainment
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Classic Episode Features A Movie Monument
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of those shows I just keep returning to. It’s a kind of comfort food that can help make even the worst days more bearable. A side effect of constantly rewatching these classic episodes is that I get more than the fuzzy feeling of warm nostalgia. I also get a chance to discover weird little details we never noticed before. Case in point: during a flashback in the Buffy episode “Becoming, Part One” the title character’s old high school is actually Courthouse Square, a Universal backlot that has been featured in many productions such as Back To the Future.
Buffy And Courthouse Square
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show effectively incorporated the plot of the earlier movie by using Courthouse Square to portray Hemery High School. This is the same Los Angeles-based school that the Slayer attended in the original 1992 Buffy film, and in the show, it’s where the Watcher Merrick fills her in about vampires and her responsibility to stop them. Notably, this flashback reveals that Angel, the vampire with a soul, took one look at Buffy and decided he wanted “to be somebody’ who could help her with her supernatural struggles.
Here’s a confession that may lose me my geek cred: I’ve watched the two-part “Becoming” episode countless times, and during the flashback, I was too busy admiring the connections to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie to notice Courthouse Square. This time around, though, I found myself staring at the screen, unable to shake the feeling that I had seen this place before outside of this series. That’s when it hit me: I’m an ‘80s kid, and this particular set represented some of the biggest films from my childhood.
This Universal backlot was built way back in 1948 (before Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon was even born) and before it was called Courthouse Square. It was built for the movie An Act of Murder, but it used to be called Mockingbird Square because it featured heavily in the famous 1962 adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird. Starting in 1985, though, it got its new name thanks to the climactic scene in Back To the Future where young Marty McFly must ride a perfectly-timed lightning bolt into the future or be stuck in the past forever.
That’s right: the same set that was used for this Buffy flashback scene in “Becoming, Part One” was used to bring Hill Valley to life in Back to the Future, including that iconic fictional town’s courthouse. As for the famous clock tower, that was a removable addition, and it’s not uncommon at all for various directors to add scenery when they don’t want Courthouse Square to look like…well…just a courthouse.
For movie lovers, part of what made Back to the Future so special is that director Robert Zemeckis utilized the entire lot to bring Hill Valley to life, though much of it (including the same theater and even the same clock tower) can be seen in Joe Dante’s Gremlins, which came out the year before. And while Back to the Future and Gremlins are the most famous movies that this Buffy courthouse set has been featured in, eagle-eyed viewers can spot it in Batman and Robin, Bruce Almighty, and much more, including the flawed-but-fun recent horror film MaXXXine.
Admittedly, this Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode was already very satisfying, but clocking (so to speak) Courthouse Square takes it to the next level. Just like that, one of my favorite TV shows is connected to several of my favorite movies and directors. Fortunately, the set has even survived catching fire on multiple occasions, but nobody needed a real-life Slayer to walk through the fire to help them put out the flames and preserve this iconic bit of Hollywood history.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
