Homepage > Joss Whedon’s Tv Series > Buffy The Vampire Slayer > Reviews > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?
« Previous : Eliza Dushku - ’The Kiss’ Movie (2003) - Screencaps & Details
      Next : Sarah Michelle Gellar - ’The Grudge’ Promo - Ric Francis Photo »

From Mediaweek.com

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

By Marc Berman

Tuesday 19 October 2004, by Webmaster

Without A Trace and Veronica Mars

"Can you please stop your ridiculous shilling for CBS’ Without A Trace? Putting it in the winner’s circle makes you without a clue. The show is losing 40 percent of its adult 18-49 rating. When nearly one out of every two viewers tunes out, it cannot be a winner.

Also, what planet are you on to even mention Veronica Mars in the same sentence as Buffy, the Vampire Slayer ? Buffy is one of the all-time great TV shows that used metaphorical monsters to represent the struggles of all young people. Veronica Mars has aired twice, and uses conventional relationships and franchises to tell its stories. Not every first round draft pick is going to become the next Michael Jordan, and I urge you to wait longer before you compare Veronica Mars to one of the most innovative, thought-provoking and emotionally honest shows ever."

 J.W.

 The P.I.:

Although I don’t deny that Without A Trace loses a large chunk of the adult 18-49 rating from lead-in CSI (34 percent season to-date, not 40 percent as you mentioned), beating NBC’s ER by an average 3.05 million viewers is worthy of winning rights. In today’s world of multi-competitive viewing opportunities no show should be expected to maintain lead-in levels from something as astronomical as CSI. Note that I also list ER as a winner for maintaining a solid lead among adults 18-49.

As for Veronica Mars, the three shows I have seen to-date makes this drama, in my eyes, a critical favorite. While it may never reach the level of popularity as Buffy, which also started out slowly, one thing that this show has that Buffy never did was a good lead actress. Kristen Bell is a standout.

As for what planet I am on, it’s the planet New York - one helluva town !

Marc Berman


15 Forum messages

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    19 October 2004 18:00, by Melissa
    Sarah a bad lead actress!? is that english? Sarah was a brillant lead actress, she put everything into Buffy and if u can’t see that than your either blind or stupid.

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    19 October 2004 23:20, by Anonymous
    Are you crazy? Sarah is the best actress ever!!!I love her!! Buffy rules!!

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 01:44, by sarah
    Veronica M is a lot like BtVS, but a good lead actress is something they have in COMMON, not something that distinguishes them. There’s an interesting article that compares the two shows and talks about Buffy fans watching Veronica now (link below).

    See online : There’s Life on Mars for Buffy Fans

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 01:53, by Djungelurban
    A world full of Buffy fans, Cruel Intentions lovers, truckloads of critics and 6 Saturn Award nominations including 1 win might disagree with you BUDDY!

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 01:59, by Anonymous
    SMG is an amazingly talented actress. Hello, daytime emmy winner!

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 04:04, by Anonymous
    What a fucking moron.

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 09:37, by Anonymous
    I’m thinking this guy is just close-minded, maybe he’s never even seen an episode of Buffy and is only judging SMG’s acting from her movie flops.

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 16:56, by Anonymous
    The only thing this article establishes is that Marc Berman’s opinion is worthless. While Kristen has done an excellent job, the role thus far has only been that of a heroine. The Role of Buffy required Sarah to play the hero as well as the victim, a leader while at the same time showing vulnerability. In short the role demanded incredible range something Sarah demonstrated she posses in spades. Her talent is undeniable.

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 17:22, by Fangfaceandrea
    SMG Is an amazing actress, she brings unique qualities to everty character she plays and makes them believable and emotional. she can make you cry or laugh, but always makes you care about the character she’s playing and delivers her lines like no one else could. hell! in Buffy she even played 3 different parts and each one was perfectly differentiated, so I suggest to this person , to actually watch BtVS and pay atention to SMG.

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 18:54, by Anonymous
    I HATED Buffy’s character in seaosn 7, but before then, was very sympathetic towards SMG’s portrayal of the character. no one can dispute shes a good actress. else it wouldnt not have gone on for so long!

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    20 October 2004 19:49, by Anonymous
    Sarah Michelle Gellar happens to be an amazing actress. Veronica Mars has been on TV for like 4 episodes...there’s nothing to compare here excpet that they are both fighting for something...that’s it. Sarah is the best!!!!

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    21 October 2004 01:56, by Hallie
    What a moron. Even if I wasn’t a devout Buffy fan, I wouldn’t try to dispute the fact that she’s a good actress. Maybe he’s one of those people that never took Buffy seriously, mistook it for one of those teen-bubblegum shows with a shallow lead. I’d like this guy to watch five minutes of The Body and say that SMG is not a great actress.

  • SMG a bad actress? BS

    21 October 2004 02:41, by Anonymous
    I think we need less people talking crap about Buffy/Angel actors, especially on an entertainment website. This guy is not doing himself any favours, look at the fan base for all those actors. A so called ’bad actor’ wouldn’t have a fan base that big now would they? Mmm think about that next time Marc.

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    22 October 2004 04:11, by Lindsey’s Girl
    Either (1) this guy has never seen an episode of Buffy, (2) he’s brain dead, (3) he was on drugs when he wrote that and the poor soul didn’t have a clue what he was writing, or (4) all of the above. Please I highly doubt that anyone can compare an actress (Bell)that has just started her career to Gellar who has had a very sucsessful career for 7 years on Buffy, plus her years on All My Children. This guy must be an absolute moron.

  • > Sarah Michelle Gellar Was A Bad Lead Actress ?

    23 October 2004 05:29, by babyharp
    I’ve watched SMG on Buffy and simply loved the character. A girl who saves the world from demons and darkness, she is the Slayer!! Hello! The show was on for seven years and has a strong cult following, If the actress was a bad lead then it wouldn’t have lasted as long as it did. And who did not cry when SMG protraying Buffy, found her dead mother ont he couch? Only a terrific actress such as Sarah Michelle Gellar could emit so much emotion. So the guy who wrote that needs to get his facts straight.