I think I should explain first why it is I don't like Buffy and Angel. It really comes down to three main reasons. On to my second major gripe. This came about as a result of Prophecy Girl, and is the reason I can never accept B+A. Many B/A'ers act like this never happened, but it did. With the prophecy that Buffy was going to die, Angel decided that he would stay home and do nothing. He was too scared. Just look at the way Xander had to FORCE him to help. The dialogue and Angel's attitude in this scene says it all. Want to know why he was doing nothing to help? Here's a scene that got cut out due to a lack of time: The third gripe comes down to how shallow, obsessive and remarkably dull Buffy and Angel actually is. Look at it this way, when have they ever not been fighting for their relationship. Never. All through their time together they've spent so long fighting for the chance to have a relationship that they've never stopped to consider if it is worth it. Deep down we all know that they've never actually got to the stage where they've been in one. What we've been left with is a whole load of angst, a lot of Buffy crying and Angel breaking records for levels of brooding and number of cliches he can throw out in one episode. It's what made a lot of the third season so very dull at times. It's why we never got the chance to gain much insight into the other characters. And for all B/A'ers who think that the B/A heavy third season was the greatest just look at the viewing figures; they actually went down from the peak in the second season. The fact is B/A took upso much of the third season, it left the other characters in stupid storylines, (Willow and Xander-Very out of character) or with little to do. (Oz and Cordy) Most importantly Buffy and Xander hardly got to speak on a one on one level. That's something which very much takes away from the show. Just as friends when B/X are together they always seem to generate interest, and at least they just don't go on about the same old things. Okay in stating my three major gripes I've thought of about a hundred more. You know the obvious ones like Angel's a vampire, they can't have kids, they can never go out in the light together, ultimately they'll never end up seeing each other, (when's Buffy meant to sleep) basically in Angel's Vamp state they would end up unhappy. This isn't even with mentioning the whole soul thing, forget about just not being able to have sex, but Angel can never be happy: this in turn means Buffy could never be happy. In the end they both end up miserable. It also leads to the thought: Wasn't Angel truely happy when Xander brought her back? Obviously not, perv. Why so pro B/X?
Okay, this may take me a while, I might as well go from the start.
Why so anti B/A?
The first one is pretty much summed up by this: "He's *TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SOMETHING YEARS OLD*, speaks who knows how many languages (according to the "Gatekeeper" novels), knows everything there is to know about mystical vampire/demon crap, has been to hell and back, and he doesn't have enough sense not to get involved with a *16 YEAR OLD GIRL*???? I've got to admit, it makes me go... ewwwwww... COME ON, DUDE!"
This is a quote from the reluctant member of The Dust Deadboy Brigade
That's what I don't get, at 240 you'd have though he's lived long enough to realize that a Vampire couldn't have a relationship with a human. But he acts selfishly, and as a result of that has caused many people to suffer, and many people to die. Angel's role should have been to help her, be a friend. That's what any other decent person would have done. Angel is by all rights dead, and the only thing that should stop him killing himself in an effort to protect everyone from Angelus is that he is in a position to help others. His life should revolve around making amends so that his soul can rest in peace. The thing is it has took him 3 years to realize this, in a time where he's clouded himself in selfishness.
One other thing, even if you discount the 240 age thing and take him at the age he was vamped, (around 26/27) then the whole going after a 16 year old girl is still gross.
INT. ANGEL'S APT - NIGHT
CLOSE ON: ANGEL
as he wakes suddenly from a nightmare, lying in his bed. He looks around, disoriented. Then he looks down.
Collin is sitting at the foot of his bed. Cross-legged, staring quietly at him.
Angel pulls himself slowly into a sitting position, never taking his eyes off the boy.
COLLIN: He said you lived like one of them. I don't understand it.
ANGEL: Maybe when you're older.
COLLIN: People are weak. They're stupid. Why would you want to be one?
ANGEL: Did he send you?
The boy nods.
COLLIN: He's coming. Soon. Stay out of his way.
ANGEL: Why should I?
COLLIN: Because he doesn't like you anymore.
The boy slides off the bed, starts to leave. Turns back to Angel.
COLLIN: You know what he could do to you...
ANGEL: (a trace of fear) Yes...
COLLIN: No you don't.
The fact is Angel chickened out, to protect his own ass. Really shows who number one is in his book. Xander on the other hand, rushed off to rescue straight away. He didn't care what would happen to him, or the world for that matter. Buffy is number one. It's this that proved Xander loves Buffy more than Angel, and started converting me to B/X.
It's the whole PG thing that changed me from putting up with Buffy and Angel to actually disliking it witha vengence. Every time I hear Angel spout out how much he loves Buffy I can't help but think "Then why the hell were you so willing to lose her if it meant saving yourself? Liar."
Just think of it this way: if Buffy had seen all of how Angel and Xander had reacted to the prophecy, would she have come back from holiday still obsessing over Deadboy? I doubt it.
The third season was full of the same "You're a vampire", "We can't have a future." "I love you". "I don't want to lose you", spiel repeated over and over again. The fact is Buffy and Angel don't know each other, they never talk like normal couples do, and because of it their (non) relationship is very shallow.
It's based on obsession, just look at it this way; Buffy hated Angel when first met him, but still fell for him due to the way he looked. This obsession has carried on all the way through.
And another thing on the shallow note; their relationship is not based on trust, like any true one should be. Buffy has stated that she doesn't trust Angel in the past, and it became more evident towards the end of the third season. The fact is she can't trust him, because she knows Angelus is a part of him. Therefore there is always the air of uncertainty between the two.
Nearly forgot the most important anti B/A reason; the fact that Buffy and Xander would rule! (just see the next section.)
In the very first ep, where Xander saw Buffy for the first time and crashed into the railing, then there was the whole "Can I have you?" thing. I thought that was nice. I kinda guessed though that Xander was gonna be the loser (not that I think he's a loser) who never got the girl. Then there was seeing Angel for the first time, and the B/A hook up became obvious straight away. It was all too predictable. I wasn't really bothered either way what would happen though, it's hard to be when you don't really know the characters. "The Pack" with the Buffy/Xander stuff in that made me think that B/X would probably be a good idea. I was also really starting to feel sorry for Xander as well at the time after the events of the first few episodes. But when I watched "Angel" and I thought the B/A hook up was pretty cool as well. It all went downhill from there when it came to B/A for me. We didn't see Angel again properly 'till Prophecy Girl, and I guess if you read the stuff I've written just before this you'll know what I thought about that. Here I'll just concentrate on Xander.
More to come soon.