An Alternative Season Five of Angel

[staringiscaring]

 I just read a rumor about how Joss Whedon had originally wanted Willow to move over to Los Angeles after Buffy ended its run instead of Spike. The WB poo pooh'd the idea because they thought James Marsters would bring in higher ratings. James Marsters does have a fandom onto himself. In the end, he did a great job but lets speculate on what might

Comments

[kwritten]

I would have added both of them just to fill the large Cordy-shaped hole in the cast, if I were Joss Whedon.

An interesting idea. I just wonder if Willow would have ever truly fit comfortably on the show - when she does cross over her mannerisms/humor seem uncomfortable and out of place... though it's a nice juxtaposition to the melodrama, I worry that Willow would have been boxed into "quirky-humor-girl" for the whole season.

Honestly, breaking up Spike and Dawn's relationship was a mistake I'll never forgive Joss for. Willow on Angel? It could work - but idk, in my own mind (in which her arc in S8 does not exist) Dawn and Spike are a dynamic team of awesomesauce... imagine me a AtS S5 with Dawnie as Harmony's intern...

[staringiscaring]

You know, she did jar in Orphesus but I'm not sure if that was because the Angel writers wrote her far peppier than she was on Buffy that season or far preppier than anyone else was on Angel that season or both.

However, I feel like every Buffy characters that transitions over to Angel falls into a more mature semi-gray moral attitude which I think Willow would have benefited from. I just don't think she has long enough appearances to make that adjustment. Also Willow's redemption arc was poorly handled in season seven, IMO, and I feel like the Angel writers might have done a better job with that.

Yeah, I wish they could have figured out another way around getting Spike to the point of leaving for a soul because I did like their friendship too. Seeing Red just destroyed their relationship.

[menomegirl]

I disagree with that. Willow was awesome in Orphesus. She was confident and powerful, which she wasn't on Buffy that season.

[staringiscaring]

I liked her appearance and I loved her interactions with the LA crew but she seemed more bubbly and less contemplative than on BTVS. That might be because she was out of the slayer nest and the tension in the Summers residence, but she seemed different on Angel.

[you_speak_lies]

I would have preferred it if they'd sent anyone but Spike over, but I don't think Willow would have fit in. Anya would have been really great if they'd figured out some way for that to work.

[staringiscaring]

Anya would have been fun! She'd also be the wacky partner to Iliyria's straight man act.

[iamfitz]

I think it could have worked. I liked the chemistry she had with Fred (and I'm not talking romance here, either), and I think she'd have been naturally drawn to the science aspect of the team. Plus, there could have been some great interactions with Wesley, callbacks to BtVS eps that no one else got.

Personally, I was a bit surprised Faith didn't find her way back to LA for the last season of AtS.

[you_speak_lies]

I don't think Faith would have fit in at W&H at all, IMO, but she would have been a fantastic addition to the cast if they'd decided to take S5 in a different direction. I always wanted her to join.

[viridian]

Willow would have been cool. I liked her interactions with Fred in the one episode we saw her in, and I think she had enough moral gray area to work... maybe not as a W&H person, but at least as a regular recurring guest star that came in to help out. I don't see Willow as willing to join up with W&H, honestly. (Keeping in mind that I haven't read the Buffy comics and have no idea what she's up to over there!)

I also would've enjoyed seeing Willow vs. Illyria.

[menomegirl]

I think she'd have been great on Ats. Mmm, Willow & Lindsey scenes....

On the other hand, we wouldn't have gotten that wonderful caveman vs. astronaut debate.