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Disappointing? Maybe yes. Maybe no. Depends on your point of view...The last couple of seasons just didn't jump out and grab me to the point where I had to tape every episode that wouldn't get to watch (which was a lot of them), but I did kinda like some of the episodes I did see...
Oh please, I'm dying here: tell me about Tara [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img] , cover me with spoilers, I'm your spoilers gal, please, please what about Tara?
Okay, it's over, crisis passed [img]smile.gif[/img] , but seriously: I can't believe it all just ended in a bubble of soap. [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img]
*SPOILERS for End of Six and Season 7*
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For those of you overseas in Season 6 who are Willow and Tara fans *hugs* *hugs* *hugs* If you have intentionally avoided spoilers, avoid this...
I think it was in this months Girlfriends or some other gay chick magazine. They had a intereview with Amber Benson who is a quality A lady. When we saw Seeing Red in the states there were still rumors that Amber would be back in Season 7, but not as Tara per se. It turned out that that the powers that be and Amber couldn't make a deal. I had my theorys as to why, which Amber confirmed in her interview. Amber had met many of the Willow/Tara contingent at conventions over the years. She knew how hard her character's death had hit them and how betrayed many of the lesbian community felt at the circumstances around which it happened.
The role that they would have had Amber come back in was in Conversations with the Dead, where the character was ultimately doing harm to Willow and she knew it would upset fans, so she passed. There many have been money issues as well, but the story was the deal breaker. Kudos to Ms. Benson for standing up for her character and fan base.
More Tara Spoilers:
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I was actually quite surprised when they got rid of Tara. They had such a good element to the show with her and I thought they were going to keep her. Does anyone know what made their decision to get rid of her character like that? I don't see any reason why she couldn't have stayed.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Shadowcat:
I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that public announcements made by a television station about it's fall line-up were considered *SPOILERS* to anyone. I've never seen anyone explode over being told a particular actor was going to join a show. I appologise, and will add a spoiler warning whenever I speak of such things in the future. I'd recommend staying far away from anything resembling a TV Guide, Gem. They usually have those spoilery "fall preview" highlights.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 22, 2003 11:51 PM: Message edited by: Shadowcat ]</font></font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>
LOL!
(Ok, I did come back) [img]smile.gif[/img]
Thanks Shadowcat, I needed that laugh. Sorry if I sounded over the top, I didn't mean to sound like I was going postal or anything over this, and I certainly don't want to have any bad feelings between us, especially over something that trivial. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I don't think I'm going to die because I know Spike will be joining Angel. I must have had too much caffeine or something that day. [img]smile.gif[/img]
* holds out hand in friendship *
Tara Spoilers
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She was actually supposed to have died like that a year earlier. But they liked Amber so much that they kept her on longer.
They felt that it was necessary to have her die for Willow to go over the edge like that. Probably for her to become the apocolypse they are correct there. But I only grudgingly conceed that. I think they just fell in love with a story device and it was damn the torpedos, full speed ahead.
Part of what caused all the controversy was, the writer who wrote that episode had been one of the champions of Willow/Tara and had declared in a chat that Tara was not slated to die, it would be over his dead body. People took him at his word, so felt doubly betrayed when it happened.
Amber's AAA, but aaa-rghhhh!
So far season 7, we're near the 1st quarter has been big yawn, only vague sparks of life have been nutcase Spike, and you know something's wrong when the funniest thing about the show is geekboy badguy (can't remember his name) Oh well at least I know I've got the last bits of season 3 and 4 to watch as I missed them. Angel on the other hand has improved 100% from the 1st series have really been enjoying it the return of Darla is season 2 rocked.
I was a bit ticked off, Gem, seemingly having someone blow up over what they felt was a spoiler. Now, I myself am a big Spoiler Ho, but I highly respect those who do not want spoilers. It's been drilled into me to be very cautious with what I say so as not to inadvertantly spill a spoiler. I'm glad that you are not normally so volatile, and will forget it ever happened. ^^
And now for the Tara comments I cannot withold...
********** SPOILERS FOR SEASON 6 & 7 **********
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Joss killed Tara off to bring about Dark Magic Willow. There is no "rest of the story." He did what he wanted to do, fans be damned, and has been quoted saying as much in interviews and chat sessions at the Bronze-Beta. He was well aware of what a huge following Tara had. He was aware of the "lesbian cliche" where one partner is killed right after having sex and the other goes on an insane, murderous rampage. His killing of Tara really was a turning point for the show, the downward drop that plunged it into ratings hell, and alienated a good chunk of the fans. He obviously could have gone about bringing DMW into being in different ways, but he wanted to cause as much anguish as he could. That's just what he considers good TV.
I'm honestly too tired and/or lazy to skim through all of the interviews that have been recorded to pull out direct quotes. I do remember Joss stating that he gives "fans what the need, not what they want." If you want the whole, long story, I highly suggest you check out The Lesbian Cliche FAQ put together by the Kitten board. It is very long, and at times exhaustive, but it is THE collection of interviews and articles about Willow and Tara's demise.
About Amber's refusal to come back to Buffy... She's been approached by Joss several times in Season 7. She refused to go back mainly because the parts Joss wanted her to be in would have only added to further pain for Willow, and the fans. Joss wanted Amber to lay around as a dead body until Dawn could find her at the end of Season 6 (ala Joyce in "The Body), but Amber refused. He wanted her to come back as a ghost/demon to cause grief with Willow over her relationship with Kennedy. Amber again refused. And finally, Joss wanted her to come back as the First, to add her image to the other dead characters. She again refused. It had nothing to do with money. She has stated this in private conversations, and has more than hinted at it in interviews. It was all about her respect for the fans, and for the characters. She is an incredibly classy woman, and a rarity in Hollywood.
A little excerpt from her backstage.com interview:
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Her parting advice:
Living in Hollywood is a constant challenge, but Benson believes it's best to follow your heart, no matter what the temptation. "When they offer you money, it can be tough. But when you feel like something is important and you want to stand up for what you believe is right, you have to do it. As painful as it can be to live in poverty, I prefer it to doing things I think are wrong."
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Oh yeah, you can see a transcription of that Girlfriends interview on the Kitten board, too.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 26, 2003 10:57 PM: Message edited by: Shadowcat ]</font>
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 26, 2003 10:59 PM: Message edited by: Shadowcat ]</font>
One lil everlasting word: Responsibility.
You *don't have to be responsible in life*: but is much better if you are.
Sometimes I think that the "I'm a writer not a teacher" sentence is used much like a kind of disclaimer, just to avoid the fact that as a writer you *do* have responsibilities. [img]graemlins/whatever.gif[/img]