OT New Marti Noxon Interview. *Possible Spoilers*

[jeepy91@xxxxxxx]

Hey guys, I was just reading through some threads over at Fan Forum and I 
came across this new Marti interview from Cinescape Magazine. It's dated 
March, so it's probably the newest interview of hers right now. The reason 
I'm posting it is because it has a small tidbit about the Buffy/Willow 
parallel arcs this season. I'm not exactly sure what to make of it, so I 
thought I'd put it out there and get your opinion.

Fair warning, there might be some tiny spoilers. I don't remember seeing 
anything in the article that was a straight up piece of info, I think it just 
depends on how you interpret it.

Anyway, here you go:


~~~~

MN interview from Cinescape.com

Marti the Vampire Producer – Part Two

Marti Noxon, BUFFY producer, chats with CINESCAPE about the show that slayed 
us all
Tuesday, March 12, 2002

James Marsters has said that he feels his character Spike is Buffy's 
"heroin," but Noxon thinks there's more to it than that.
"He is in a way, although there's some genuine affection on both sides," says 
Noxon. "It's a really tricky situation, and where they are going nobody 
knows."

While the show's creator, Joss Whedon, has tried to step back from the 
series, he hasn't succeeded. Noxon knows why.

"Basically, he is still _Buffy_'s bitch. He can't get away from the show if 
he wanted to. He's tried; he gets sucked back in. I have to say he sucks at 
stepping back. He's stepped away from most of the production side. He doesn't 
do any of the mixes, or he'll take a pass in editing, but aside from that he 
spends a whole lot less time onthe technical side. He is still very involved 
in the story breaking; he just won't walk away."

By contrast, Noxon has seen her influence on the direction of the show 
increase this year.

"I've had more say in taking stories further so that Joss has to spend less 
time on that, and that's just wonderful," says Noxon. "It's the hardest part 
of the process, and to be weaned of our total dependency on him is a really 
good thing. Hopefully I am getting better at it. But to me that's what 
separates the wheat from the chaff."

Part of that process involves setting up the season-long story arcs that have 
made the show such an addictive must-see for fans.

"We usually end on some kind of cliffhanger and you have a lot of loose ends 
to tie up and a lot of things to set in motion," says Noxon. "The first 
episodes are always about finding the show again, finding the voice and your 
bearings for the characters. Some of it is that we are ramping into 
storylines that are going to take all season to develop, and then you are in 
the meat of it."

While Marsters uses a drug metaphor to describe the Buffy/Spike relationship, 
another character is also struggling with a familiar kind of addiction.

"I do think the Willow/Buffy parallel is the strongest arc of the season," 
says Noxon. "The fact that they are both using stuff to not be here. Buffy 
comes out for a different reason than Willow, because of 
what she has been through, and Willow because of how she feels about herself. 
The two of them have a real journey to take. To me that's all about being in 
their twenties. Regardless of the substance you are abusing, the twenties is 
the time where you are making bargains. 'How much do I have to really step up 
now? Do I have to work this hard? What are the rewards and the penalties ifI 
only do so much?'"

As before, Xander remains the anchor in this changing Scooby gang even though 
he recently stunned his love Anya (Emma Caulfield) by jilting her at the 
altar.

"Xander is the solid guy," says Noxon. "We always felt that as rough a time 
as Xander's gone through, he is the most steady and he knows himself in a way 
that the others don't."

Ah, but any hints as to where this is going after the recent wedding episode 
shocker?

"I can't really say," says Noxon. "Except to say that all the things that are 
percolating right now will continue to develop. But I can't say anything 
because that would ruin it."

And there are still other threads to explore,including the three nerd 
"super-villains" who lurk on the sidelines."

Joss came up with that idea," says Noxon. "Here are people who are basically 
going to use crime to avoid the responsibility of adulthood. They are 
short-cut takers. They would rather do a crime and then be able 
to play the good game than get a regular job. They'd rather do a spell on a 
girl than have to actually talk to her. To me they're all about taking the 
passive leap and how that won't go so well either."

Also on the periphery at the moment is Amy (Elizabeth Anne Allen), who spent 
years as a rat before finally being restored to human form."

Amy has the potential to become very interesting," says Noxon. "There's 
something off about her that is really intriguing. She has sort of an Anya 
quality, having been a rat and a witch and her mom being a witch. We'd love 
to find more for her to do."    
    




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