Spoiler Slayer

AM Update - Up On The Soapbox

Not much spoilage today, so I’ve decided that I’m going to take a moment to jump up on my soapbox again.

I’ve noticed a recent trend on the message boards to complain about the writing on both ‘Angel’ and ‘Buffy’ this season. Vocal fans are expressing their unhappiness with the storylines and developments on both shows. The concept of Buffy and Spike or Angel and Cordelia having any kind of serious relationship seems to be driving people over the edge. While some fans applaud the move, others are threatening to stop watching if the storylines aren’t changed. For me, it’s kind of a hard thing to understand, since I think both shows have been better than ever this season.

Of course, in the past, I’ve made my own comments about the show. Most of you who knew me before the site really took off, will recall that I wasn’t entirely thrilled with the story arcs for Season Five. However, my issues weren’t with the character development or the writing of the individual episodes. It had more to do with the cohesiveness of the entire story arc for the season. After sitting down and watching the entire season within the course of a week, I changed my mind. It was a very good season, but the problems occurred when the episodes were aired over an eight-month period. Some of the connections fade in the interim between new episodes, and things that should make sense don’t seem to at first.

The difference is that I at least saw it as constructive criticism. For example, the fact that we started Season Five with strong hints that it would deal with the history of the Slayer, and where her powers are rooted. Another question would be wondering exactly how the Knights of Byzantium became aware that the Slayer had the Key? In terms of overall character and story development, they are minor quibbles. The criticism being raised about Season Six isn’t even constructive, it’s downright ludicrous. Fans are using the most bizarre arguments to justify their feelings.

Take the ratings for example. Recently, I have seen a number of posts, which point to the ratings as a sign that the current storylines are driving fans away. This is a flawed argument at best. The ratings haven’t changed significantly either up or down, which doesn’t seem to surprise the writers in the least. Just because a show doesn’t crack the top fifty in the Nielsen’s, does not mean that it isn’t a success. It does not mean that advertisers will be less willing to support it. In some respects, the fact that the Buffy audience is not only loyal but extremely targeted as well, makes it a better sell. If you don’t understand the logistics behind ratings, demographics, and marketing, you shouldn’t jump to conclusions about how the show is doing.

It also irks me that many people want to blame Marti Noxon for what they feel is a ‘bad season’. The argument that ‘Joss is too busy with other projects’, just doesn’t ring true with me, and even he has come out disputing that argument. As time goes on, it’s becoming more apparent that Joss has had the last few seasons plotted out for some time. While some of the minor plot points and story arcs are being developed at this time, the overall arc for the series would seem to have been determined quite some time ago. I wasn’t thrilled with the heavy-handed symbolism in ‘Wrecked’, but overall I’ve enjoyed every episode and plot twist the season has brought us.

After her most recent interview with Wanda, it seems like the “Let’s blame Marti” train really got underway. In fact, since the interview appeared yesterday, the talk everywhere has been dominated by her comments about the Buffy/Spike relationship. What she says isn’t really that new or different from what the writers have been saying all along. Characters change, relationships change, motivations change. We shouldn’t start reprogramming our VCR’s to tape ‘Gilmore Girls’, just because the story arcs might not go in a direction we don’t like. I have a great deal of faith in the writers, if only because they’ve never let me down in the past. When I see how characters like Spike and Cordelia have developed over the course of the series, it serves as a reminder to the abilities of people who write these shows.

The point is that it is a story, and one that we are not the watchers and not the writers. Whatever their master plan is, I’m completely content to sit back and watch it unfold. If Buffy and Spike breakup, it’s not going to ruin my enjoyment of the show. If Willow turns out to be the ‘Big Bad’ or Tara ends up being the ‘Big Scooby Death’, that won’t be the last episode of the show I ever watch. It’s just another twist in the overall story. When it comes to the big picture, I trust the writers.

If I wanted predictable, I’d watch ‘Crossing Jordan’.