rusty_halo

I'm going to say two things I never thought I'd say:

1. Smallville was better than Angel last night.
2. That episode of Angel would have been much better if Spike wasn't in it.
(Not, I should stress, because there's anything inherently wrong with Spike, but because Fain and Craft couldn't write a decent Spike if their lives depended on it.)

I actually thought the writing was just mediocre, but Mercedes McNab did a wonderful job and really elevated the material beyond what was on the page. I've always loved Harmony and I'm glad to see her get the spotlight for a bit.

I'd love to see Spike/Harm or Spike/Fred, and a Fred/Harmony friendship would be great. The opening was brilliant, and while the rest was, like I said, mediocre, McNab was just terrific.

The line about Harmony deserving credit because she has to try harder without a soul ... man, that's what Spike fans have been saying for years! That's what made his story so interesting in the first place! But no, we're just a bunch of sick serial killer lovers. And besides, Spike doesn't have tits so he doesn't count. Stupid Fury. But I won't take my resentment out on Harmony, 'cause I love her. The show can only benefit from her presence.

The Spike thing ... okay, fine, Spike's an idiot when it comes to Buffy. But couldn't the writers/actor have given us some conflict, some nuance, some complexity? Any hint of something below the surface? Sure, I can fanwank some kind of inner conflict, but why the hell bother when it's clear the writers just threw something random in there 'cause they couldn't think of anything better? It's so painfully obvious that they don't understand the character. We can fanwank all we want about something going on beneath Spike's surface, but on the show, he's become an utterly shallow character who exists for the sole purpose of pulling in fans that the writers know like him, but don't know why.

And this stupid reason takes away one of the great things about Spike, which is that he always respected Buffy enough to let her make her own decisions. Angel and Riley both did things "for her own good" but Spike never condescended to her like that. Well, until now.

And the whole "If I come back to life it'll make my sacrifice meaningless" thing is the kind of insane troll logic that Spike has never sunk to before. He's always been the practical type when you got down to it. How would coming back to life make his sacrifice meaningless? Did Buffy's return make her death in "The Gift" meaningless? Um, no--as far as I can see, the world was still saved.

I would have loved something like Spike realizing that he's lived his whole life for other people (his mom, Dru, Buffy) and now it's time for him to find out who he is on his own (AND that would give him a motivation to want the Shanshu for a reason other than "to piss off Angel"). Or for him to realize that he wants someone who can love him in return as deeply as he loves, and Buffy just isn't capable of that. Or even for him to admit (or not admit but clearly be hiding) that he's afraid of the kind of reception that he'll get from the woman who used and abused him for years. Or maybe even some hint that as much as he loved her, he's not quite sure he wants to go back to being a boot-licking doormat for the rest of his life.

And, god, what in the world are the makeup people thinking? I remember, back before season seven, Spike used to be hot. Now I'm just kind of horrified when he comes onscreen. He's all washed out, his features flat and undefined--I know he's aging, but this is Hollywood! And nothing should be stopping them from outlining his eyes and/or darkening his eyebrows.

Dear ME makeup people,

Make Spike punk again.

Thank you,
Laura

And Smallville...

I was on the edge of my seat and deeply emotionally invested. In Smallville. The show that, three months ago, I was bitching about how boring and stupid it is. But Lex, man. Lex's story here isn't quite as compelling as Spike's in BtVS S5, but it's close. And it's a hell of a lot better than anything Spike's had since then. This episode almost made me cry!

Lana, however, needs to die. Slowly and painfully. And Jonathan Kent is a condescending, patriarchal, judgemental, cowardly bastard. Grrr.

But Lex! And Clark/Lex! I'm almost tempted to seek out Smallville fic.