I think that might've been the point - he was Angel, just without all the things that kept Buffy and Angel apart. Would it work out for those crazy kids this time?

Fair point. Although using Spike as an example is weird, because, IIRC, Xander had as much antipathy towards Spike as any of Buffy's other dudes. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you?

One thing re-watching has really cemented for me is that Joss chose the perfect actors for the roles - not everybody could master that insanely stylized comic-booky delivery (a few regulars didn't, IMO), but SMG and AH just fucking nail it from day one…

I dunno, I think of season 4 as really good standalone comic-book-type Buffy episodes; the narrative decision to split the leads apart (id, ego and superego - as Maggie Walsh so neatly puts it) (or Kirk, Spock and McCoy, if you prefer) to see who they are individually (most of s4) and who they are to each other (end…

… Or maybe Xander knew it wasn't gonna work out, and therefore didn't feel threatened by Riley, and so was able to be friends with him?

Re-watching it currently; it's easily the funniest season of Buffy, too, I've noticed.

"… but instead a completely narcissistic sociopath straight-up serial killer"

Fuck. Yeah.

I'm just glad he didn't make a rash decision based on fear…

Feeling cantankerous today, but…

What kills me is the weird little clicking sound Charlie makes right after he says it…

Should is still making music… they just put out a new record a few months ago.

Points for the "It's Always Sunny" reference, Katie!

From a studio standpoint, Adam Sandler movies are gold. He hires his friends to fill out the weak spots in the "script" with improvisation and "wackiness" (don't have to pay a screenwriter that way!), then fills the rest with so much product placement that the movies are guaranteed to make their money back now matter…

I tell it like it is, maaaan…

I've heard him say he's excited for the new stuff because it reminds him of the old stuff, but it just kinda sounds like he re-discovered his old fuzz pedal in the back of a closet somewhere. Can he also rediscover his ability to write great songs?

Yeah, but once he had a kid, it really mellowed him out…

And then what? Get a social life? *shudders*

Psssh, look at you, with your being reasonable…

Is neither he nor his agent concerned about overexposure? I LIKE the dude, and at this point, I'm fucking sick of him.