Once more with...
Not long ago, after having had a more than a sufficient general idea of what Spike (and Illyria) has become in Bill Willingham's last series, I had told myself that I would stay clear from IDW's site. I wasn't good at it: the news about an upcoming miniseries featuring Spike by Bill Williams (found on Buffyforums), stirred my curiosity. Appearantly the story will take place in the space of one night and has the ambition to re establish (oh big surprise) Spike as a real badass but will let him (re oh big surprise) do some flirting with one or two ladies, as it is difficult, says the author, to let Spike show his softer side outside of Dru or Buffy's presence.
I'm afraid the show episodes bring about a denial to the idea that the short duration and the absence of a real love interest constitute any excuses for the portrayal of Spike as the three notes character (fight, flirt, be a jerk... lather, rinse and repeat ad nauseam) he seems rapidly becoming. Take Lovers Walk for exemple: it's an isolated episode in season 3, where Dru is absent and Buffy is Spike's enemy but let's try to count all the aspects of the character appearing during these 50 minutes:
- loser drunk Spike
- out of control Spike
- killer Spike
- opportunistic Spike, quick to understand and seize the possibilities offered by a situation
- sloppy Spike not thinking through his plan
- violent Spike
- really dangerous Spike with hints at the rapist
- volatile Spike
- Spike able to speak with women (Willow, Joyce) and confide to them about his love hurts
- totally unexpected and cute Spike (drinking hot chocolate and asking for little marshmallows)
- childish Spike taunting Angel
- unlucky Spike
- sentimental Spike
- wacky Spike
- good fighter Spike
- spiteful Spike
- insightful and truthsaying Spike
- smug Spike
- clueless Spike
.... and I probably forgot to quote some facets of the character in this episode.
Maybe we could propose a challenge to these authors: write a story where Spike doesn't fight, doesn't flirt and doesn't behave like a jerk. Then perhaps would they be able to use their imagination to develop the character in an interesting and original way.
I'm afraid the show episodes bring about a denial to the idea that the short duration and the absence of a real love interest constitute any excuses for the portrayal of Spike as the three notes character (fight, flirt, be a jerk... lather, rinse and repeat ad nauseam) he seems rapidly becoming. Take Lovers Walk for exemple: it's an isolated episode in season 3, where Dru is absent and Buffy is Spike's enemy but let's try to count all the aspects of the character appearing during these 50 minutes:
- loser drunk Spike
- out of control Spike
- killer Spike
- opportunistic Spike, quick to understand and seize the possibilities offered by a situation
- sloppy Spike not thinking through his plan
- violent Spike
- really dangerous Spike with hints at the rapist
- volatile Spike
- Spike able to speak with women (Willow, Joyce) and confide to them about his love hurts
- totally unexpected and cute Spike (drinking hot chocolate and asking for little marshmallows)
- childish Spike taunting Angel
- unlucky Spike
- sentimental Spike
- wacky Spike
- good fighter Spike
- spiteful Spike
- insightful and truthsaying Spike
- smug Spike
- clueless Spike
.... and I probably forgot to quote some facets of the character in this episode.
Maybe we could propose a challenge to these authors: write a story where Spike doesn't fight, doesn't flirt and doesn't behave like a jerk. Then perhaps would they be able to use their imagination to develop the character in an interesting and original way.