maggie2

I see what you're saying. But that doesn't help me shake my sense about Brian's Spike's smallness. Here it's at least partly complicated because Brian just isn't telling a continuation of the story I was watching. In NFA both Spike and Wesley were taken aback by Drogyn's murder. Here, Spike is upset that Angel hasn't anticipated the reaction of the partners, but he doesn't seem to question Angel's basic moral judgment (presumably because Brian doesn't question Angel's basic moral judgment). We don't have any sense of the history the two of them bring to Hell-A: that Angel had acknowledged Spike as a champion, for one big one. Angel comes charging in with accusations and an active disappointment that Spike hasn't gone bad again. Not clear where that comes from. Spike's sense in a Hole in the World that we ought NOT to sacrifice lots of lives to save Fred gets squashed to an idea that Fred (or whatever is left of her in Illyria) is more important than anything. In an episode in the series, you'd see a slice of Spike, but it fit into a complex narrative of Spike's history. Brian's Spike doesn't so far as I can tell. Seems easier to summarize him by saying: Spike has a soft spot for damsels; he's got a little brother's snarky attitude towards the big brother he secretly admires; he is like a 14-year old boy when it comes to sex; he'll do the right thing when push comes to shove, but only when push comes to shove. There's no moment, as there are frequently in the episodes where you see how the whole man and his history particularly informs a narrative. But of course, people see different things.

And for me to say more would be to give way to some pretty bitter snark about what I think about how Brian sees Spike. Sorry!!!