Don't You Just Love a Picnic?
One thing that always kind of bugged me about Riley was that I never quite felt like his lines were genuine. They felt like they were, well, acted. They felt rehearsed.
But, then, I thought about that scene in 4.09 “Something Blue” where Riley tells Buffy that he practices before each of their conversations! Add that to how he’s got a secret identity to keep, and it totally makes sense!
Everything Riley has ever said ever is something he practised in the mirror. That’s why his lines are overly cheesy and awkward! That’s why everything he says sounds too thought out! He never delivered a sincere word in the entire series. Everything about Mr Riley Finn is brilliance upon brilliance, thoughtful writing layered over by Mark Blucas’ brilliant delivery.
Riley is the single greatest character in the Buffyverse!
…
Or he’s just poorly executed.
(Okay, yeah, it’s the second one.)