Elimi-Stake: One male or female vampire goes on a date with four others - each round, the least desirable one is staked.

That's brilliant.

Also, thanks for the timelines, ita and Cindy!

Halfrek was before Cecily (Reference to the Crimean War with Anya)

Oh, right. Forgot about that.

Still, plenty of plot bunnies to explore.

Who tried?

ita, if you remind me next time I see you, I'll tell you the story.

I will remember, Kristen.

His size may have been difficult to work around.

CK is even tinier, and I don't recall him being a bad fit for the show.

Overall, I think Spike has been a detriment to the show (quelle surprise). He was well-used in "Destiny" and "Soul Purpose," and I truly loved seeing him get smacked down by a muppet in "Smile Time." But in most episodes he sucked up screentime that could have been better used on just about anyone else, and the preponderance of Spike-centric episodes early on was really grating. To be fair, things have gotten better as the season's progressed.

...eventually culminating in his Manilow loving days, wherein, in a moment of weakness, he fed on someone who was already dead.

You interpreted the diner guy as already dead? I took that as a "well, he's about to die anyway" reaction on Angel's part.

I'm trying to think of an example of a show creator who successfully stopped their show from continuing or being spun off without them.

I don't think it's hyperbole to say that Joss may have the largest devoted cult fandom currently active (I read it as more widespread than Rockne O'Bannon's/David Kemper's). He might not be able to stop the studio from making a Buffy show without him, but I'm fairly confident he could ensure that the effort was DOA.

Well, I'm now in Chicago at the Flashback Weekend con. I have briefly sat at a table with Camden Toy (very funny, animated talker), Stephanie Romanov (so totally unlike her character it's amazing) and Christian Kane (who joked that Boreanaz was already in town, but busy getting knee-deep in whisky). This morning I go in for my photo ops with the latter two, and hope that I can get them to wear my "Angel's Bitch" sign for the photos.

The Toronto Star TV supplement has a cover story on the demise of the show. Unfortunately the article isn't on their site, as it ends thus:

what we all really need to know is whether Angel's true love is Buffy, Cordelia, Darla, Nina the werewolf girl or, what we've long and deliciously suspected. Spike.

For those into purple, here's a shot of the cover pic

Vampire David Boreanaz? That goes right along with the "Hi, this is Spike" WB promos.

This morning I go in for my photo ops with the latter two, and hope that I can get them to wear my "Angel's Bitch" sign for the photos.

Matt, you're thisclose from a moment of perfect happiness. Aye aye aye. Are you meeting up with any Chicago Bronzers or Buffistas?

Not so far, though I have met up with non-Chicago Bronzers OzLady and Ariel. I'm also supposed to meet Angel-loving co-workers, so I probably won't see any Buffistas until Wednesday.

After waiting in line for an hour sweating up my good silk shirt, I was told that the way the photo op/autographs were operating was being changed at the last minute and silver badge guests don't get photos or autographs until tomorrow. If the guests leave before then or I'm told the line is too long and we're SOOL, I'll be needing an alibi for the homicide investigation about the convention organizers' grisly murders my whereabouts this weekend.

Well, that sucks!

I hope you work it out and don't have to go underground for the rest of your life.