Amanda108
Potential
Cordelia:
I would never have guessed that I would be crying over her death one day. There were even a few times in the first season that I wanted her to be killed off! My first problem was that, early on, I just couldn't feel any sympathy for her. The second problem was a fear of what she was bringing to the show: I was so used to shows and movies that try to be sympathetic to the misery of high school but just produce a bunch of stereotypes and melodrama, and so far I was loving everything done on Buffy- the people actually felt like people- but I was worried that Cordelia was going to be a complete cliché. So because of that feeling I was unable to enjoy any of her humor. Of course now I know I was wrong and I feel that her development is spectacular. I also think she is hilarious on Buffy and like watching her in those earlier seasons, knowing what she is going to become.
Dawn: My main problem with her is still something that bothers me; I've just realized that it's unfair to judge the character for something I don't like about the plot. I was never comfortable with the 'fake memories' thing. I don't like that these people I came to love remember experiencing a slightly different version of the years that I love. Also, I didn't like the way the other characters acted toward her sometimes: the constant, to me slightly unrealistic, babying of Dawn, but that's a problem with everyone else, not Dawn. I am now extremely sympathetic to her and find myself relating to her well. And the "Get out! Get out!" scene that everyone seems to hate- I actually think it is realistic and understandable.
Riley: I'd heard many negative opinions about him before I started S4, and unfortunately I went along with them for the first half of the season before I realized that I just didn't feel the same way. I actually liked the guy and loved that he made Buffy happy.
I would never have guessed that I would be crying over her death one day. There were even a few times in the first season that I wanted her to be killed off! My first problem was that, early on, I just couldn't feel any sympathy for her. The second problem was a fear of what she was bringing to the show: I was so used to shows and movies that try to be sympathetic to the misery of high school but just produce a bunch of stereotypes and melodrama, and so far I was loving everything done on Buffy- the people actually felt like people- but I was worried that Cordelia was going to be a complete cliché. So because of that feeling I was unable to enjoy any of her humor. Of course now I know I was wrong and I feel that her development is spectacular. I also think she is hilarious on Buffy and like watching her in those earlier seasons, knowing what she is going to become.
Dawn: My main problem with her is still something that bothers me; I've just realized that it's unfair to judge the character for something I don't like about the plot. I was never comfortable with the 'fake memories' thing. I don't like that these people I came to love remember experiencing a slightly different version of the years that I love. Also, I didn't like the way the other characters acted toward her sometimes: the constant, to me slightly unrealistic, babying of Dawn, but that's a problem with everyone else, not Dawn. I am now extremely sympathetic to her and find myself relating to her well. And the "Get out! Get out!" scene that everyone seems to hate- I actually think it is realistic and understandable.
Riley: I'd heard many negative opinions about him before I started S4, and unfortunately I went along with them for the first half of the season before I realized that I just didn't feel the same way. I actually liked the guy and loved that he made Buffy happy.
I
InsaneMystic
I'm one of the few who'll agree with your assessment of "get out get out" =)