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[oyceter]

minnow1212 has a long, chewy, very interesting post on "names words muscle weapons blood." (spoilers through Angel 5x16 Shells)

Spoilers through Angel 5x16 Shells

I read it and vicariously went through all the character angst of the past two seasons. Thinking back on it, it's amazing how the show has destroyed the inner circle dynamic that made it work in the first two and a half seasons, killed several of the main characters, went from a happy core family with episodes that dealt with real-life analogies (as opposed to the emotional) to the arc heavy show with isolated characters that it is now. Even as Buffy was doing that, it never tampered with the core Scoobies.

It'd be interesting to see if Firefly got even darker and morally ambiguous, with the characters exploring the dirtiest parts of their psyches if it had lasted past three years.

Three years seems to be that turning point in the Joss shows so far. Enough years to have the emotional weight and attachment to the characters so that when they really do start to tear them down, it hurts. Enough time to build up plot arcs that cycle back on themselves (like the past two years of Angel). Enough time so that the character development makes complete sense, so when I see Wesley at point A and Wesley at point M, he is incredibly changed, but it all still connects.

This is why a teeny weeny part of me is glad Firefly was cancelled, because I know Joss would have done this to the Firefly crew and developed the characters I loved in the pilot to people who barely resemble them. Of course, I would have probably loved it all the way and angsted and adored how they ended up. But it's also nice to still have that first impression in my mind, like a photograph.

Comments

[poisonapple73.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way. Part of me lusts after more stories...but I sort of like that things were simple- no hugely complex romantic entanglements (things were complicated enough as they were) and the group still felt like family. I think the reason Heart of Gold bothered me so much is that I'd expected an entire set of comfortable interaction and having them crank up the angst with no resolution was awful. Firefly definitely had the potential to make the masses cry and rip the fans guts out- hopefully the movie won't be too angsty.

[oyceter]

Yeah... Firefly was already getting me so emotional already that I shudder at what the future angst would have been like.

And sometimes I just feel like beating my fists against my desk and wailing, "But I wanted to know what happened!!!"

[mogens.livejournal.com]

I would have probably loved it all the way and angsted and adored how they ended up. But it's also nice to still have that first impression in my mind, like a photograph

Nicely said, and I totally agree. :) It's why I love the first season of AtS, warts and all. Everything was so new and full of possibilities and hope.

Still, I rather like who Angel has become over the years, even if I'm not so sure about the others *cough*Wesley*cough*.

[oyceter]

Oh, a non-Wes fan?

I adore S1 of Angel because they're all warm and fuzzy and so cute! Hee hee. I think that's how everyone feels about S1-3 of Buffy, but I've got that for Angel because I watched it chronologically.

[mogens.livejournal.com]

I don't mind Wesley. But I don't feel for him much anymore. While his characterization really interests me, my soft spot is for dork!Wes from S1 and S2. This version is so opaque.

Which makes me wonder what Joss would have done to Simon if given the chance!

[oyceter]

*nods* He's actually my -- I don't know, lead-in character for Angel? He's the one I actually empathize with most, strangely, and I do think he is pretty opaque.

I could so see Joss doing the Wes-transformation to Simon! Little things, like the potential for him to be completely ruthless if it came to his sister and the doctor gone bad thing.

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

>Of course, I would have probably loved it all the way and angsted and adored how they ended up. But it's also nice to still have that first impression in my mind, like a photograph.<

You are so right! I hadn't thought much of the prospective future of Firefly, but thinking about it now makes me want to cuddle the characters protectively. Because Kaylee should always be happy, and Zoe and Wash should always be happy together, and...

I tend to fall for shows halfway through their runs. Didn't start watching Buffy until season 6 and Angel until season 3 and X-Files until season 4. So I didn't usually have to see the shiny gloss wear off of them.

I'm sure I would have liked wherever ME took the characters, but I think it would have been harder to be, "yay, angst!" when I'd seen the characters from the very beginning.

[oyceter]

I know! And you just know Joss was going to do something like break up Zoe and Wash in a painful fashion, make Kaylee lose her innocent happiness, and etc.

Although I really did want to see Simon evolve into a sort of Wes-type character.