Lauren irritated the fuck out of me. Mainly because I was a big Sydney/Vaughn shipper and she got in the way of my ship. But season 3 cured me of that. It was as bad, if not worse than, the Buffy/Angel angstfest that was season 3.

B/S: "I want you, but I can't have you. If I do, you become evil/an adulterer."

A/V: "You're right. I must repress my love...er evil/adulterous desires."

B/S/A/V: "Woe is us, for if we boink, we must go to hell/the NSA."

Audience: "Enough, already! Boink or die."

Feh. Joss knew he wanted to spin DB off to his own show way early. He didn't have to be in Buffy season 3 at all. They could have left him in hell for the entire season and then brought him back just at the very end. He could have had a little visit from TPTB and told Buffy, "sorry, lover, they need me in LA, I'm gonna be a star." Gone his merry way and it would have been a better way to end the ship than the way they dragged it out forever. I'm all for the clean kill. The ending of season 3 needed the split to be sharper, like Buffy's mom telling her not to come back at the end of season 2. Really bring the pain, have Angel come back from hell, with a mission, it doesn't include Buffy and he can't help her with the current apocalypse. Have it all happen at the same time that graduation is going down. As it was, my impression of Angel leaving was "please go, it's more than time."

And Vaughn did the same thing. Played Sydney for the entire season with, "but you were deeeaaaaad. I can't love you!" Come on! Have a little faith! She's not, she wasn't, you still love her so get over it and dump the rabbit-faced faux Brit before she blows your brains out. I really didn't pay much attention to the last half of the season, it got so annoying. It eclipsed the sister storyline and it shouldn't have. I barely remember the season finale now, only that it had a pretty shocking ending and I'm dying to find out what happens. But, to be honest, I could care less at this point if Syndey and Vaughn get together permanently.

I love B/A in season 3.

Looks sideways at the poor, misguided loon.

Well, someone had to like them.

In my defense, I started watching in season 3, so I'm especially fond of it, and the B/A soapiness didn't hurt in keeping me tuning in. It also finally enabled me to come of the Buffy closet to Scott (and turn him, almost immediately).

I honestly didn't mind B/A in seasons 1 and 2. It was great metaphor. Unitl season 3. In season 2, the ship was storm-tossed, found anchor on a deserted isle...oh, wait, wrong show. Anyway, season 3 was blah. I felt like I was eating cold week-old leftovers. And no coconut radios to ask for rescue from it.

ETA I do know how to spell, the fingers just don't want to cooperate sometimes.

I am particularly fond of the Miracle Snow of Amends.

t sap

(doesn't close)

Not to say I don't find the episode affecting, but it's just too much of an asspull. I didn't mind Whistler prodding things along as an emissary of TPTB in season 2, but the miracle snow was just too heavy handed. Buffy's speech to Angel would have been that much more powerful if they hadn't had to back it up with a deus ex machina. It showed me that Angel didn't believe in or trust Buffy. I know that they were planning a spin-off, so they had to justify him leaving. I just felt they could have handled it in a way that would have made me want to stay on the ship. They didn't. Angel brassed me off by needing the miracle.

I am particularly fond of the Miracle Snow of Amends.

Me too.

Looks up at thread title. Grins.

Not trying to piss in your pool. I like Angel, I really do. Just...not with Buffy. I'm probably one of the few who actually liked Angel and Cordy. I don't think CC was a good enough actress to sell the ship, but as a concept, I thought they went well together.

I don't think CC was a good enough actress to sell the ship, but as a concept, I thought they went well together.

Them's fighting words. CC was great! Actually, I didn't hate all of S3, but Saint Cordy. Blech.