Re: Four TV Movies?

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

E,

James may have had his problems with one scene in S6, but he's never
wavered with his praise of Joss, nor has he ever stopped pushing for an
expanded role for Spike.  You may recall his "I'm not good at team
sports.   I'm more like 'Throw me the ball.  It's **my** ball.'" comment
to TVGuide before the "Angel" S5 premiere, for example.

Joss and Spike got him a lot of notoriety and money.  He's definitely
good with more of both.  Remember, the one constant in any spinoff
pitchDawn the Vampire Slayer and Spike, Ghost!Spike and
Faith-on-a-bike (and, oh yeah, Robin Wood), Willow and Spike at Slayer
School, Spike and Random SiTs at Slayer Schoolwas Spike.  This not
only reflects Joss's Spike obsession, but also James's willingness to
keep Spike going, no matter where.   An All About Spike movie with
"Starring James Marsters" in the credits?  JM is there, I have no doubt.

Joss's reference to the S7 arc being reflective of SMG's relationship to
the cast is in his IGN Film Force interview of last summer, and I
believe I've seen it elsewhere, too.   (Perhaps the New York Times
interview?)  I know he was praising the "Fireflop" cast in Nov. '02 for
being so great to work with as opposed to "other shows, where there's a
star" (don't have an immediate recollection of the specific interview,
but the "Firefly is so great to work on because I don't have to deal
with Sarah" subtext was plain, so plain that people posted on TWoP about
Joss's slamming of SMG).

And the representation of the Scoobs as ungrateful traitors isn't meant
to fluff Buffy as the misunderstood hero of S7it's there to fluff
Spike as the Pure and Redeemed One True Friend, the only one Buffy can
count on.  Note that in "Groped", Buffy does nothing but toss an
innocent man out of his house and curl up in bed (while Spike tells the
Scoobies what rotten people and lousy friends they are) until Darling
Spikey gives the Cuddle of Chastity and True Love.   (On the one year
anniversary of the attempted rape, no less.  How&sweet.   **loses
lunch, even though it's not 9AM yet**.)

So I don't think Buffy suffered as a character in S6-7 because Joss was
preoccupied with "Failedfly".   I think Joss's dislike of Sarah, his
seeing BtVS as old news and not as exciting as the new project, and his
trashing Buffy to push Spike are all intertwined.  In fact, I've been
known to argue that Joss lost interest in the Scoobies as characters
after S2 and built the remaining seasons around his "new toy" of the
year, be it Faith, Riley, Dawn, Sweet and Darling and Shmoopy (and James
Knows His Place and Doesn't Give Me Any Crap) Spike, or Anyone We Can
Sell For a Spinoff, respectively.   Which would dovetail into his
increasing disinterest/dislike for human characters and reducing anyone
who isn't superpowered into irrelevance.   (Was Greenwalt really the
"heart" of the show?   The Xander/Willow vibes of "Jake 2.0" have me
thinking&)

And I don't see that Sarah's discussing, but never committing to, not
signing for, and ultimately not doing an "Angel" guest shot disproves my
"won't work for Joss" theory.  She was offered a large amount of $ for a
brief visit, and eventually cited her schedule and said no.   Far
different from working full-time for several months on a movie, I'd
think.

Aly, to my knowledge, has not shared her post-S6 thoughts on the season.
My understanding of her dislike of the year (not "hate", Desdemona's
cuzand btw, welcome!) is based on hearing that the "Evil Willow" arc
was confined to the last three eps because Aly was reluctant to play
Evil Willow longterm.  I can't offhand recall where I read that, but I
do know that pre-season spoilers from Ain't It Cool News showed "Normal
Again" as episode 8, not 17 (it was then called "Killing Chronos") and
that other sources have referred to the arc being altered.  And, IIRC,
Aly, when asked about "Evil Willow" rumors in the "Out" magazine
interview before the season, showed some ambivalence about the topic.
And perhaps the mere fact that she *hasn't* gone around saying "I loved
that so much!   Joss is so great, he gave me lots to play with and it
was cool taking Willow to new and exciting places!" bespeaks something
about her feelings, if only by implication?

And yes, it's tough to know who to blame for the butchery of every
female character on "Angel".   But although Cordelia was degraded in S4
and it was Bell who made the offensively dismissive remark about CC and
her baby (never mind that she was putting in full days on the set a mere
**ten days** after giving birth), CC says it was Joss who fired her, and
Cordy and Fred got killed on his watch, which when taken with the fates
of Anya and Tara, the complete breaking of Willow, the dismissal of Dawn
in interviews ("What am I gonna do, show Dawn going on a date?"), and
the portrayal of Buffy as an ungodly bitch whose one redeeming feature
is Spike's pure and amazing love for her tends to have me cast JW as the
main focus of my "misogynist!" scorn.   JMO, though. 

Will try and pull relevant quotes, and check JM's thoughts, if I get the
time.

Dan



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Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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