Regarding the first episode, I merely saw that as nobody saw how Buffy would affect Angel and make him lose his soul. Nobody saw that coming. That Buffy would be the cause of him switching sides.
For the Choices example, it's similar to the consequences not being explored for Xander summoning Sweet in OMWF. This happens all the time. It's not the same to me as a major character interaction, the most important character relationship of the previous season, being jettisoned and ignored completely. One dream panel and one vague reference from Buffy.
In the Gift, that's an action meant to be more sinister by its secrecy. And it fits with the lesson there - sometimes we have to do bad, unspeakable things and we don't talk about them. They were necessary evils and we won't torture ourselves by discussing it to death.
Fans thought it was important. Joss didn't.
I don't think these are really comparable examples for a main character in an ensemble (imo he was, he became more than supporting cast by the end of the show) dying then coming back to life in LA and keeping it a secret. Now Oz left the show and it's fine that the characters didn't know what was going on with him for years because we the audience didn't know. Spike has done some things in AtS season 5 that would definitely garnish a reaction from Buffy - a lot of reactions from Buffy. Things we the audience watched and were waiting for a resolution on. Joss was planning for Buffy to meet up with Spike and Angel again in that season but it didn't work out logistically.
Buffy knowing Spike's back already would be like fastforwarding from Becoming through season 3 to The Freshman and we're getting Buffy's sad mopey reaction about Angel being gone. Except wait Angel's still alive? And Buffy's not acting surprised by this? And he left Buffy again? Was she upset? It's inadequate storytelling.
That's the kind of emotional angst that doesn't work in the background. What's more, it hasn't even been referenced. Can we at least get the equivalent emotional speech of "then I kissed him, then I killed him"? Something that wraps up the interaction and puts it in a box. End of story. Buffy and Spike was a central storyline of Season 7. It's a lot bigger than a single line in one episode or an the unacknowledged consequences of a decision.
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Date: 2009-01-13 02:09 pm (UTC)For the Choices example, it's similar to the consequences not being explored for Xander summoning Sweet in OMWF. This happens all the time. It's not the same to me as a major character interaction, the most important character relationship of the previous season, being jettisoned and ignored completely. One dream panel and one vague reference from Buffy.
In the Gift, that's an action meant to be more sinister by its secrecy. And it fits with the lesson there - sometimes we have to do bad, unspeakable things and we don't talk about them. They were necessary evils and we won't torture ourselves by discussing it to death.
Fans thought it was important. Joss didn't.
I don't think these are really comparable examples for a main character in an ensemble (imo he was, he became more than supporting cast by the end of the show) dying then coming back to life in LA and keeping it a secret. Now Oz left the show and it's fine that the characters didn't know what was going on with him for years because we the audience didn't know. Spike has done some things in AtS season 5 that would definitely garnish a reaction from Buffy - a lot of reactions from Buffy. Things we the audience watched and were waiting for a resolution on. Joss was planning for Buffy to meet up with Spike and Angel again in that season but it didn't work out logistically.
Buffy knowing Spike's back already would be like fastforwarding from Becoming through season 3 to The Freshman and we're getting Buffy's sad mopey reaction about Angel being gone. Except wait Angel's still alive? And Buffy's not acting surprised by this? And he left Buffy again? Was she upset? It's inadequate storytelling.
That's the kind of emotional angst that doesn't work in the background. What's more, it hasn't even been referenced. Can we at least get the equivalent emotional speech of "then I kissed him, then I killed him"? Something that wraps up the interaction and puts it in a box. End of story. Buffy and Spike was a central storyline of Season 7. It's a lot bigger than a single line in one episode or an the unacknowledged consequences of a decision.