Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Question: I have always found you to be a huge voice for Buffy and Angel and I want to get your opinion on a couple of issues: Is Angel’s move to Wednesdays a sign of a WB apocalypse for the show, and if so, would UPN pick it up to replace Buffy? Also, will the Emmys ever wake up and give nominations to Alyson Hannigan and James Marsters (Willow and Spike)? Also, if Buffy retires, whom do you think would be the best Buffy character to move over to L.A.? I think Spike would be a great fit for this more adult-style show. - Alex R.

Matt: There are so many questions about the fate of Buffy, and I’ve been putting off addressing them as long as possible, figuring it’s more appropriate to react to actual news and not to speculation. But it looks like we’re still in a holding pattern, waiting to hear if and in what form the show will return for another season. As soon as something official is declared, I’ll certainly weigh in. But it looks less and less likely that Buffy will continue in the format to which we’ve grown accustomed.

To answer Alex’s questions directly, I found WB’s long delay in airing new Angel episodes to be as troubling as the move to yet another dreadful time period on Wednesdays, where it has the bad luck to go up against the cheesy phenom of the moment, ABC’s Bachelorette. On the plus side, the first episode back was a blast, as if George Romero had visited Wolfram & Hart, with all of those zombie lawyers lurching about. I can’t even guess if UPN would rescue Angel if WB jettisoned it; my crystal ball’s too cloudy. It’s all too complicated.

As for Emmys for the deserving Willow and Spike: Dream on. There are too many traditional ensemble dramas vying for attention that have the academy’s seal of approval (most notably The West Wing, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under.) There’s simply no room in those supporting categories, although there ought to be. And I agree that if Buffy were to vanish and Angel were to make room for any refugees, Spike would be the best choice. I’d love to see Angel and Spike working in tandem, nursing their mutual Buffy obsessions, which would only fuel their resentment toward each other. That would be fun to watch. And if Angel is the sole survivor next season, finally we might eventually get a crossover appearance from Sarah Michelle Gellar herself - depending on how the original series ends, and where Buffy winds up. Hmmm, with Buffy, it seems with every answer, there’s always just another question on the horizon.

Question: Is it just me, or were the last two new episodes of Buffy (Dec. 17 and Jan. 7) practically indistinguishable from each other? Let’s review: Wannabe crybaby slayers arrive, Buffy fights the uber-vampire (who defies many of the previously established vampire rules), and then gives a "rousing" (i.e. sickening) speech at the end. What do you think, Matt? Has Buffy run out of steam? Is it time to put this once spectacular show out of its misery or can Mutant Enemy pull Buffy out of its funk? - Shaine

Matt: I see your point, but think you’re being a bit harsh. (Which never really surprises me. Buffy fans are as passionate in their scorn as in their praise, and I appreciate that.) I thought the battle scenes in both episodes, especially the most recent one, were thrilling and gut-wrenching, but I’ll give you the point on the formulaic speeches (I was more impressed with the first than the second). Keep in mind that Buffy is rallying this ragtag army into fierce battle. I’ll cut her some slack. But I’m with you about the "potential slayers." Not an impressive group of characters, except that they gave Giles an excuse to return (at last). If this device is how Buffy will continue without its star, that would not be a promising development.

Question: I’m writing in response to your answer to a question regarding the annoying network logos now appearing on the corner of the screen during many shows. I can respect the frustration viewers have, especially when you get the animated logos that are really commercials taking place in the corner ("Watch The Shield, up next"). However, I travel a lot, and I don’t always get a channel guide in my hotel room to tell me what channel is connected to what network. Often the only thing that helps me find my favorite shows is the network logo in the corner; as long as I know Buffy the Vampire Slayer is on UPN, and UPN has its little logo in the corner, I can find my show rather easily. - Dave C.

Matt: Goes to show that every dark cloud has a silver lining. I hadn’t considered that - but I’m sure I will next time I travel.

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