Every time I do a rewatch, it changes my opinions a little. When I was young and watching the show for the first time, Buffy was my favorite character; I thought she could do no wrong. Now when I watch I'm amazed at how self-involved and arrogant she can be at times, but I do still love her. She's flawed, like any good character should be. Does it mean I agree with every choice the writers gave her character? No. I HATED the way she and Riley ended and I still get irritated at her behavior in Season 6 and 7. But she's Buffy, and without her there would be no show.
I love Xander more and more everytime I watch; he's just so loyal and wise beyond his years, despite his goofy veneer.
Willow I have grown to hate more and more. She started out as one of my very favorite characters, but after Season 4 I feel like she turned into a completely different person. I know this happens in real life, but I just hated where Willow ended up.
I have always liked Dawn, but the more I watch the more she's turning into one of my favorite characters, especially in Season 7. I feel like she matured in a real way; her development seemed natural (or as natural as anything can be on BtVS).
I love, love, love Giles. I love that he's this undercover badass and I never cease to be amazed at his quiet strength and his love for all the Scoobies, not just Buffy. 🙂
Spike... I love Spike, but I love him so much more in his early BtVS appearances, when he was still evil. I think he's alright as an ensouled good vampire, but I felt that since we'd already seen "The Vampire with a Soul" it was tired and they only did it again so Joss could keep his good buddy James on the cast. Spike was better as a villain.
Angel is always Angel and I love him. Sometimes all the brooding gets to be a little much, though, which is why I love anytime David plays Angelus. 🙂 Season 4 and 5 of Angel made me start to feel a little bored by Angel, though.
Cordelia is a character I loved on "Buffy". She played the mean girl with a heart better than anyone else I'd ever seen on TV before. But on "Angel" she turned into someone I barely recognized anymore. I loved her in Seasons 1 and 2, but it seemed like after Cordelia became "Vision Girl" she became a little boring. I missed the smart-mouthed, ass-kickin' Cordelia.
Wesley is probably the best example of the evolution of a character ever. He started out as purely the comedic relief, or the punchline to the joke, and became such a valuable part of the group on "Angel". I loved him as the bumbling, weasel-y (anyone notice the coincidence that he started out as a weasel-y character and his name is Wesley? LOL) Watcher who couldn't do anything right, and I loved how the writers made him end up as this bad-ass. 🙂 Plus, the scruffy look works well for Alexis. (sw)
Gunn is someone I liked a lot the first time around... I still like him a lot, but I feel like they shouldn't have watered him down as Fred's boyfriend so much. I think the whole Frunn storyline really took a lot away from developing his character.
Fred is someone I like but never really LOVED, although I really wish she and Wesley would have been together from the start instead of she and Gunn. Even though I never loved the character that much, I was heartbroken for Wesley to watch the events in Season 5 of "Angel".
Lorne is amazing. I liked him the first time around and the more I see the more I love, love, love him, even though I think it was sad that he was pretty much just a plot device. 🙁 He was never given a love interest or anything more to do, really, than give a good one-liner here and there. But we did get a couple of great Lorne moments here and there...
Connor is someone I hated from the beginning and then last summer when I watched "Angel" season 5 for the first time, was shocked at how much he could have been a great character if only he was written differently. Season 5 Connor I don't mind a bit... Seasons 3-4 Connor? Sucky.
A few other characters:
Drusilla is one that I hate more and more the more I watch. I can not ever find her useful at all other than to be crazy and say occasionally funny stuff.
Darla is one that I never get tired of. I think we should have gotten to see more of her on BtVS, or at least gotten a crossover during Season 3 of "Angel" where Buffy and Darla could have had a big showdown once Buffy found out she was pregnant with Angel's baby. 😉
Harmony... I liked her the first time around; now she gets on my nerves. The only time I laugh at her anymore is during that scene in "You're Welcome" where she's "interrogating" Eve. 😉
Eve... Everyone told me I was gonna hate her, but I totally don't. I think she's funny and I like her as a foil for Angel. 🙂
Lindsey... I liked Lindsey a lot and wish we could have seen him change his ways and become part of the AI team. Instead of bringing Spike over to "Angel" in Season 5, I would have liked it better if Lindsey were the one working with the AI team in his place.
Lilah is one I never cared for very much to begin with and the more I watch the more she annoys me. The way she bounces when she walks and how she talks through that smirky smile... UGH.
Ok, now that I've written a novel I think I should stop there. LOL
