Yeah, I'm reading that same sort of subtext too, Beej, and I'm pretty surprised. Joss seemed to love Spike, from what I could tell.

Well, vampires are ugly when they are being their most demonic in their vampire face rather than their human face - perhaps that is what they meant.

I didn't think he was being metaphorical.

Bolding mine:

Angel was an exception too, but Angel wasn't Joss' idea and I think by the time I came on, he was afraid that these good-looking vampires were going to take over the theme. So whenever Joss would write an episode, Spike would have, like, five lines. [Laughs]

Like, for example, in "School Hard," "Lie to Me," and "Becoming," in which Spike probably had almost as much dialogue as the show's eponymous lead? Dude, show not named Spike.

I do hope Marti Noxon gets him a regular role on GA though, lessening the chance that he'll guest star and take over in Fonzie-esque fashioncatch on in a show that I watch.

Like, for example, in "School Hard," "Lie to Me," and "Becoming," in which Spike probably had almost as much dialogue as the show's eponymous lead? Dude, show not named Spike.

I thought he was referring to when Spike joined Angel.

He has a recurring role now. Not on GA.

Dude, show not named Spike.

I wish I could block the memory of the last two or three seasons as well as you have, Matt.

Didn't we rename the spoiler thread Show Called Angel! after Buffy went off the air? Good times, good times.

I wish I could block the memory of the last two or three seasons as well as you have, Matt.

To be fair, I was mostly speaking in context of the season Spike was introduced—when he was still a major recurring villain rather than the de-facto lead, and yet did not strike me as someone Joss wanted to put in a corner.

I think Marsters has to be referring to Joss' hypothetical fear regarding the theme of Buffy, as that of Angel wasn't something he'd be particularly worried about good-looking vampires taking over.

Hi all. I asked this question over at the Other Media thread, but was pointed/politely shoved over here to ask it. Being my first question on this or any other message board I take it as a learning experiance. So...

At the risk of just busting into anyone's conversation but can anyone explain how Anya's death so completely flew beneath our collective geek radar, while Tara's death had all of fandom wearing black armbands?

It just strikes me as, well, rather unfeminist that her rather point-blank death would elicit nothing more than a "she's such a swell gal" from her, albeit, ex-fiance. To say nothing of the rest of us.