A little brother would have been cute!

He could have had a crush on Willow -- he and Willow would have played computer games when Willow and Tara babysat for him.

Okay -- somebody write me "Key" fic where the Key is a boy instead of a girl.

Out of all of them, also, I think they probably should have killed Giles instead of having him leave for a lame-ass reason, and come back like a pod person. And, much as I liked Spike glowing light dying, I rather wish he had dies before he tried to rape Buffy, and/or stayed dead and not been on Angel.

Perhaps they should have created a little brother for Buffy instead of a little sister and then they could have killed him off.

Even if you moved it beyond regulars or recurrings, there's no reason sweet, doomed Cassie had to be female. She could have been sweet, doomed, and male. Sure, you would't have the Cassandra play, though I guess he still could have been a Cass (I'm picturing him played by a Kyle Gallner type, amusingly enough).

I'm picturing him played by a Kyle Gallner type, amusingly enough

Poor Kyle Gallner, sweet and doomed (and sometimes a phsycopath)

Is that the heart failure? (So confusing with the Cassie from SPN) - isn't there a famous Classical seer who is male that nobody listened to either? Possibly Tiresias.

A lot of things that form disturbing trends in media seem fine divorced from the trend, but the problem is, the trend's still there.

Exactly.

Then, over time, one looks back, aghast and shakes the collective head. "Gosh, how could foot binding have been perpetrated for ONE THOUSAND freaking years? Answer: It was a 'popular trend.'

eta: Oh my. I am the rantypants today. Really stepping away now...

And, much as I liked Spike glowing light dying, I rather wish he had dies before he tried to rape Buffy, and/or stayed dead and not been on Angel.

I agree with the die before rape bit, but since he didn't I'm actually glad he was on Angel because I love Season 5 and it's my understanding there would not have been S5 without Spike. You can't take the wee little puppet man or Illyria away from me!

I never twigged much to gender issues the way some do. It's an intriguing argument, but I think I agree with Una at the moment. I have no refuting in regards to Cassie, however.

Would we rather have (and I am really curious) more dead good males, or more alive good females?

but since he didn't I'm actually glad he was on Angel because I love Season 5

I liked Season 5, actually, I just think that Spike's overall arc of loving Buffy worked better if he stayed dead.