Angel

Wolfram And Hart Annual Revue Report - (Courtesy of Laurie)

Fury was questioned on how Spike had been written this season. Fury indicated he was aware of the criticism and he understood that Spike was in a different place at the end of last season with Buffy, but that sweet, sensitive Spike, though very likeable, would quickly become a very boring character to write. He said he loved Spike with attitude, and that the other issue was that Angel and Spike fall back into old patterns when they come together. More comments:

1. Spike is NOT evil — he is a good guy. He is — and this is a direct quote — "morally superior" to Angel. (!)

2. (Again, close to a direct quote:) Spike and Angel is the true love story of this season.

3. Spike/Harmony sex in Destiny was Joss’ idea. Fury tried to argue against it (*would Spike really do this?*), but Joss insisted that Spike needed a "release" — it had nothing to do with Buffy. He also said that they wanted it to come across differently than it did, but James is too good at doing sex scenes (he said it a bit differently than that, but that’s close, I think).

4. Jeff Bell is writing the finale (Joss is off writing the Firefly movie). DeKnight is most likely writing 20, possibly with DrewGod again. (This bit came from DeK.) Fury is most likely doing ep 21. (That came from Fury.)

5. The finale is NOT being changed significantly, if at all. Fury said the ending they had already planned as the season finale also worked quite well as a series finale. Didn’t sound like Sarah is returning. Fury commented that the only campaign he’d heard of on the Internet concerning the finale was the one where Spike and Buffy end up together. Some girls then started shouting *Angel and Buffy*. At which point Fury went into this very sarcastic riff about how the *real ending* was going to be that Spike dies, Buffy returns, and she and Angel ride off into the sunset together. Which means, imo, that the one thing we can be sure of is that the show is NOT going to end that way!

6. Fury and DeKnight had a fight over Destiny. Seems DeKnight wrote it that Angel won the fight. Fury told him that Spike had to win the fight. DeKnight protested that he’d already written it, and Angel won. Fury told him to rewrite it — that Spike had to win. The episode was all about how Angel had made Spike what he was and how Spike had been put upon all those years, and Spike had to win. At which point, a very cross DeKnight (and this part comes from a later conversation with DeKnight, not from Fury), apparently yelled at Fury *Write it yourself!*

7. Later in the evening, Fury was asked to please stop writing Spike as being stupid in all his episodes. Fury was confused, and said when did he write Spike as stupid. He was told that someone says he’s stupid in every episode. He again asked for examples. The puppet ep was mentioned — he pointed out he didn’t write that one. :-) He then added that "Spike isn’t stupid. Angel calls him stupid, but that’s just because he’s jealous of him."

8. It was suggested at one point that they sell Angel puppets to pay for a season six. Fury laughed and liked that idea. :-) He also confirmed that he was indeed the guy under the towel in Smile Time.

Anyway, that sums up a very enjoyable discussion. Fury was certainly at his most charming. :-)

Also present at the event: DeKnight, Jeff Bell, Drew Goddard, Tim Minear, Julie Benz, Sarah Thompson, Jonathan Woodward, Andy Hallett, *Gru* (I forget the actor’s name), and several demons (the demon on a leash; Skip, and one other). Also the guy who played Prince of Lies/Gnarl — Camden Toy.