If Spike had died in "School Hard"...

[Robb Stark]

Do you think he would be remembered a lot like Mr. Trick is from S3? I've seen in numerous commentaries and interviews that the original plan was to have Spike just be a villain-of-the-week at the beginning of S2 and have him killed off at the end of the episode, but that it was switched after the producers liked James Marsters so much. If that had been the case, and Spike was killed off, I think he would be recalled like Trick is. When I think of Trick, I think of a great character who was a bit underutilized and could have had a much bigger role. The actor was excellent and the character had a lot of layers to him. It would have been awesome to see him explored a bit more.

Do you think it would have been similar with Spike?

 

[Mischlings]

Do you think he would be remembered a lot like Mr. Trick is from S3? I've seen in numerous commentaries and interviews that the original plan was to have Spike just be a villain-of-the-week at the beginning of S2 and have him killed off at the end of the episode, but that it was switched after the producers liked James Marsters so much. If that had been the case, and Spike was killed off, I think he would be recalled like Trick is. When I think of Trick, I think of a great character who was a bit underutilized and could have had a much bigger role. The actor was excellent and the character had a lot of layers to him. It would have been awesome to see him explored a bit more.

Do you think it would have been similar with Spike?

I think that's pretty much what would've happened, though I think that he was originally intended to be killed at the end of What's My Line Part 2 when the organ falls on him, which would've been more similar to Mr. Trick as well, in that he was around for basically half a season.

Also, as another connection between the two, K. Todd Freeman, who played Mr. Trick, was originally under consideration for the role of Spike. Yeah, that would've been very different.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I'm glad they didn't kill Spike off. His character was so well written and complex, and I love James' portrayal of him. The show would have been a VERY different show without him.

 

[Washburne]

No, I don't think Spike would have left the same mark as Mr Trick if he died in School hard. Remembered sure. You can make a big impression in that short of time. For me there's for example Holden Webster. I can't imagine me liking Spike as much based on just his first episode.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

At the time, the producers of the show gained a lot of feedback from the internet. Spike was only meant to be in the show for a couple of weeks, but the feedback at the time 'told' the producers to make him a regular character.

 

[TotallySpiked]

If Spike had died so early on I think it would have been a waste of such a great and in-depth character. Right from the start he was different from most vampires; he cared, showed emotion, loved. This is what separated him from the rest and is why he became my favourite character. I would have been so disappointed if he had died.
That being said...I wonder who would have been my favourite character instead. Hmm...

 

[white avenger]

This is one of those questions like, "If Gene Roddenberry had followed the network's suggestion in the beginning to "get rid of the guy with the pointy ears," what would "Star Trek" have been like.? And just about the only real answer is that we can never know, and I, for one, am very happy that Gene decided to keep Spock.

If Spike had died in Season 2. I think that he would probably be remembered,at best, as just another potential dust pile, hardly worth mentioning. But then again, I felt the same way about Doyle on "Angel," and they kept dragging out that video tape of him all the way through Season 5, so, who am I to know? I do know that Spike was such an integral part of the general story line from Season 4 on that it would have been a totally different show without him. Maybe they would have kept Riley around, or maybe they would have introduced a totally new character onto the show, but, either way, it wouldn't have been the same show that I grew to love, I might not even be here now, since it was the interaction between Buffy and Spike in "Once More With Feeling" that first attracted me to the show.

And it goes without saying, without Spike, there would have been no Spuffy.and I just can't imagine engaging in a "Bangel vs Briley" debate with anything like the same enthusiasm and commitment.

 

[dexeded]

Also, as another connection between the two, K. Todd Freeman, who played Mr. Trick, was originally under consideration for the role of Spike. Yeah, that would've been very different.

Source? Google is not helping much.

 

[Mischlings]

Source? Google is not helping much.

Buffy wiki references the comic "Spike: Old Wounds", which I don't have to check the reference. Make of that what you will.

 

[tylermaaynard]

I think spike should have been killed off, just because of how they ruined his character. He was an amazing villain in season two but the first time I watched 'lovers walk' I thought to myself 'what are they thinking?'

 

[SMG14Fan]

If Spike had died so early on I think it would have been a waste of such a great and in-depth character. Right from the start he was different from most vampires; he cared, showed emotion, loved. This is what separated him from the rest and is why he became my favourite character. I would have been so disappointed if he had died.
That being said...I wonder who would have been my favourite character instead. Hmm...

I totally agree. I loved his relationship with Drusilla. I'm so glad that they were around for longer.

 

[thetopher]

I've never heard that about Spike, dying in the first episode?

He was alway meant to be exactly like Mr Trick, he was supposed to a kinda Big Bad that, 'surprise', gets dusted mid-season and then replaced with Angelus. (Just like Trick was replaced with Faith)

Trick was really just as fun and remorable as Spike was, with his own quirks and idiosincracies. If Spike had been killed in 'Waht's My Line?' part 2 he would pretty much

I think its a big exageration to say that Spike is an intergral part of the show- he wasn't. He's redundant in the latter part of S2 (although the twisted love triangle is fun and interesting, and his heel-turn at the end is a nice surprise)
He was shoe-horned into pretty much every episode of S4 (they didn't really know what to do with him until Adam recruits him- then it gets fun again),
In S5 he's the just the male character with super-powers, his arc is interesting but it doesn't really dovetail with any of the other characters.

Spike is so seperate from the group afterwards that he could've been easily removed. Just give Buffy another love interest (maybe not another vampire?) for S6 and 7 and you're done, SMG would've been happier thats for sure. 🙁

 

[Silverspike]

All I can say to all of that is blimey, you must have seen a different show to me. 😀

Trick was really just as fun and remorable as Spike was,

Pity then that Whedon didn't see it that way. Shame because we could have done with more actors of colour in the show.

 

[Blaze]

Spike is such a memorable character, even if he was there only for one episode, I think people would have remembered him. Not sure if it would have been like Trick, maybe more like Darla in s1 of Buffy. For some reason, even before they brought her back, she was always really memorable to me even though she was only there a few episode. I think it's because those characters are linked to Angel's past, makes them have a greater importance.

 

[white avenger]

Just give Buffy another love interest (maybe not another vampire?) for S6 and 7 and you're done, SMG would've been happier thats for sure. 🙁

I've never heard anything about that. Were there some sort of ill feelings between the two? I've never heard either one speak of the other without a good amount of fondness and admiration of professionalism.

 

[Robb Stark]

I've never heard anything about that. Were there some sort of ill feelings between the two? I've never heard either one speak of the other without a good amount of fondness and admiration of professionalism.

I've never heard of them having an issue personally, but SMG has been pretty vocal about her dislike for the direction Buffy's love life went in S6.

 

[thetopher]

I've never heard anything about that. Were there some sort of ill feelings between the two? I've never heard either one speak of the other without a good amount of fondness and admiration of professionalism.

I don't think SMG had a problem with JM at all, I was simply reffering to her dislike of the storyline involving Spike as her love interest during S6.

And also partially refering to her and Nicky's desire to maybe play arond with Buffy/Xander in S7.

I think SMG and JM got on just fine, but I did here (after SMG said on some twitter question thing that she was 'team Bangel') that JM said that he used to 'test her' during their scenes (because she was the 'star and ultra-professional apparently) and maybe that was what she found annoying, but he was really just speculating.

I think SMG just had better off-screen rapport with David, that's all. 🙂

 

[Taake]

Aw what a great shame that would have been. I mean a Spike is a great part of what makes season two such a fantastic season. While I don't live him as much later on, I would have hated such an early staking. Just imagine all the Fanged Four stuff we might not have gotten to delve into! So much rich backstory just gone without Spike

 

[thetopher]

All I can say to all of that is blimey, you must have seen a different show to me. 😀

Hey, all I said is that he wasn't integral to the show.
Neither was Faith (my own favourite), or Wesley or Anya- they were still 'cameo' roles that grew from that and went on to become fan favourites and interesting characters in their own right. 🙂

To me the only 'integral' characters are The Scoobie Gang, Giles and Angel- the core of the highschool years and all the growth that comes from those characters.

Not a criticism, not an observation.
Spike is not 'integral' to the show, doesn't mean I can't see his appeal in S2, 4 and 5- I rather like him in those ones. 🙂

 

[white avenger]

I think SMG and JM got on just fine, but I did here (after SMG said on some twitter question thing that she was 'team Bangel') that JM said that he used to 'test her' during their scenes (because she was the 'star and ultra-professional apparently) and maybe that was what she found annoying, but he was really just speculating.

🙂

I remember James saying that during his first fight scene with her in "School Hard," he wasn't used to wearing the heavy boots, and he kept kicking her hands. That would make just about anyone testy.