We said goodbye to her in Chosen. I felt a bit angry at the concept of using her as a bone for the vampires to fight over. She's my girl, yo. Leave her be.

I can go with that. I don't know that Angel had any more need to say goodbye to her, nor did Spike. I mean, I see what they were trying to do, even if I don't think it was necessary, but if yiou're going to do that, do it RIGHT, you know?

I don't know that Angel had any more need to say goodbye to her, nor did Spike

I agree with all of this. I am actually content with the way this show wrapped up, and there's not a ton that I'd change. Except for the part with it ending. That I could do without.

But I will forever want just one "Hey Spike, you're not dead. Thanks for saving the world." out of Buffy. Just an acknowledgement would be nice.

And that's why he doesn't stake Harmony - he still has hope for her, despite everything. No time to help her right now, but hope.

You know why Angel didn't stake Harmony? Because it would have been a distraction from the REALLY! TOUGH! BAD GUY! who was coming for him just then.

IJS.

IJS.

Then why write a letter of recommendation?

Then why write a letter of recommendation?

Huh. Fair point. Guess he had to have SOME contingency plan in case she comes through.

Eh, maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe it is the same one or two pieces being rehashed in many a place, Gandalfe, but the fact is that Joss is a grown-up. He should know that he got a pretty good deal, all in all. Most writers would kill to have what he's had; it's unprofessional of him to bitch to the media.

He does, and acknowledges that in pieces that make the rounds, too. The bitter ones are just the ones that seem to cause discussion. I read something this morning, where he sounded appreciative of Levin in particular. When the cancelation was announced, he made appreciative noises that he got enough notice time to take it out the way he wanted to.

Then why write a letter of recommendation?

He was thinking ahead for when he would have that talk with Harmony. Very Joss-vian humor to me.

Most writers would kill to have what he's had; it's unprofessional of him to bitch to the media.

FTR, I've seen some writers really bitch and moan in the media, and Joss hasn't even come close. I don't think he's burning bridges when he tactfully says it like it is.

I'm not happy about the cancellation, but I wouldn't say I'm mad at the WB. Still, the "your friends at the WB" thing rankled because I don't think the show was well-treated over the years. It wasn't cancelled, and I'm grateful for that, but it seemed to get the same treatment that Newsradio got from NBC. How often can a network expect a show's fans to follow it around the schedule? I'll always think of Angel as a Tuesday show because of the Buffy connection, but in five years it was on four different nights. On Monday it was part of one of the strangest pairings in television history (Seventh Heaven lead-in), and on Sundays and Wednesdays it was against shows that were popular with Buffy and Angel fans (Alias and Malcolm on Sunday, West Wing and the OC on Wednesday). Inept scheduling? Deliberately shooting themselves in the foot? I don't know and I don't care that much, because I'm happy to have had five years of a great show. But "your friends" seemed really disingenuous. Last week in Spoilers the Partyman commented on how odd the preview's "the WB series finale" seemed, and I responded:

I've always thought that the bad feelings between the WB and ME arising from the contentious Buffy negotiations that ended with it moving to UPN got taken out on Angel. The way it kept getting moved around, the lack of promotion, not re-airing eps, etc. So I saw "the WB Series Finale" as a final slap: "Bye. Have fun on your new netw... oh, that's right, you don't have a new network." Of course I have no solid evidence to back that up. Just seemed that way.

Still feel that way, still have no evidence to back it up. The only thing I'd change is that the "friends" had one dig left. YWBFMV.

It doesn't even sound like bitching to me. He had more story to tell and is bummed he doesn't get to tell it. I mean, what's the alternative? Not caring? "We're renewed, we're cancelled, same diff."