Did actor unavailability ruin the execution of The First Evil?

[Joshua]

Do you think that actor unavailability ruined the execution of The First Evil?

Is that why The First Evil's main disguise was Buffy?

I mean they wanted The First disguise himself as Tara but Amber declined the role

They used this for portrayls of The First in s7

Buffy (main disguise)
Nikki Wood (Robin's mother)
Jonathan
Spike
Joyce
Cassie

It would have been amazing to see Tara / The First Evil imo

 

[SiegePerilous02]

I think it was one of the main factors, yeah. Not the only one, but pretty noticeable. Having appearances from Tara, Jenny, Angel, Jesse, and more of Glory, Adam and the Mayor would have brought some much needed variety than seeing the same 4-5 people all the time (Buffy, Spike, Joyce, Jonathan and Warren).

 

[white avenger]

I think it was one of the main factors, yeah. Not the only one, but pretty noticeable. Having appearances from Tara, Jenny, Angel, Jesse, and more of Glory, Adam and the Mayor would have brought some much needed variety than seeing the same 4-5 people all the time (Buffy, Spike, Joyce, Jonathan and Warren).

I'm not sure about the others, but wasn't Joss only allowed very limited time for Angel to be on the show by the WB Network? If he had used all that time having the First Evil appear as Angel, then there might not have been any real Angel for the finale. I agree, though, it would have been good to have some more of the old characters on the show.

 

[Blaze]

Yes, yes it did. Very much so.

 

[Robb Stark]

This was always something that kind of annoyed me about The First Evil. The show just uses its cast actors. I don't know, that just has always struck me as kind of lame.

 

[AnthonyCordova]

The whole idea of the First Evil for the final big bad was kind of lame. I wish they had gone a different direction with that.

It's funny, S6 isn't the one I want a do-over of, it's S7. I want to dispose of it and try all over (the series finale doesn't make up for it). Sorry, back to topic.

Regarding the OP question I agree with Blaze and Rob but it's a superficial point for me really. I didn't like the entire idea. As the season wore on I went from open-minded about the First Evil to dissatisfied. It was fine for me in that one S3 episode with Angel, but beyond that...

 

[Wesley Pryce]

@AnthonyCordova, id love to make a thread about alternative BIG BAD's for season 7 arc. 🙂 but yes,they should've gotten written contractual commitments from actors months before ever planning the season seven story.

 

[thetopher]

The thing is I love the idea of The First. I mean, not so much its vague origins but the actual idea.
I think if it was written properly it couldd've been the best Big Bag since The Mayor. Something that knows your weaknesses, all your dark secrets, prays upon your vulnerabilities and self-doubts...that would've really been something to see!

The problem is The First doesn't interact with the cast a lot. It taunts Spike when he's being tortured, in a fairly boring sequences, so he can have his 'Buffy believes in me monment', but it interacts with Willow exactly one time, Buffy about twice, Faith once, Xander and Dawn? Never, as far as I remember. Which is a real shame

Think about this, you have Buffy acting aloof, cut-off and isolationist because of the pressures of leadership, and then you have a Big Bad who can look exactly like her, not to mention do a pretty damn good interpretation of her. So why not throw some disention in the ranks?

Have 'Buffy' appear and interact with her pals, allies, and subtley undermine actual Buffy and her attempts at unity and leadership.

It would've been The Yoko Factor on steroids if done right, and would've made the end scene in 'Empty Places' even more dramatic- made The First look like some machiavellian genius and winning.

The First was a great idea, but ultimately the writing wasn't strong enough to realise its potential (heh), it wasn't just the lack of actors, good writing can work around that. 🙂

 

[Fuffy Baith]

There are many problems with the First and this is one of them. It was cool seeing all the Big Bads of each season at the end of 'Lessons' but that's about it. Dru didn't really have an effect on Spike, not since after 'Crush' anyways. First Buffy only worked with Caleb. Warren and Jonathon work for Andrew. The Mayor worked for Faith but the Potentials did not work mostly because we didn't care about dead potentials. Jenny was already done but it would have worked well on Giles. I think using The Master or Glory more would have been good for Buffy to see. So much stuff they could have done, but we can't change the past. Maybe write a fanfic of how we would do it better.

 

[SiegePerilous02]

I remember thinking when I first watched the scene with Willow and Giles in "Lessons" where she describes the Hellmouth as having "teeth" that the Hellmouth had somehow gained sentience and was going to be the final Big Bad.

In retrospect, I kind of wish that that was the route they went with, especially compared with how lame the First turned out to be.

 

[bespangeled]

I remember thinking when I first watched the scene with Willow and Giles in "Lessons" where she describes the Hellmouth as having "teeth" that the Hellmouth had somehow gained sentience and was going to be the final Big Bad.

In retrospect, I kind of wish that that was the route they went with, especially compared with how lame the First turned out to be.

I had this sudden vision of the plant in Little Shop of Horrors - Feed me! 😀