Article "Rebooting" Spike

[white avenger]

(This was inspired by the thread about Spike's bleached blond hair)

James has said on several occasions that he had put a limit on the amount of time after Season f of "Angel" ended that he would consider playing Spike again, primarily because he didn't think that he would look young enough to play an immortal vampire after that point. It just occurred to me that Chuck Norris had similar problems, and solved them by growing a beard and darkening his hair. So my question is, would you accept a dark haired (maybe only a sort of sandy brown) Spike with enough of a beard to augment any age lines? And relax, ladies, the beard could be trimmed in such a way as to still make the razor sharp cheekbones visible?

It would seem perfectly logical and normal for an immortal being to change his "look" every couple of decades or so, just so that he or she wouldn't be so easily recognizable to the general public.Not as much of a problem for Whedon's vampires, I grant, as Macleod and his brethren, but the principal would remain the same, especially for a coup[le of souled vampires who want to avoid celebrity status.

So, to answer my own question, I wouldn't have any problem with Spike, or David, if the issue ever came up for him, growing a little facial hair and losing/gaining a little weight in order to play the characters again.

How about the rest of you?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I dont see why it would be a problem anyway; I always thought he was a bit off the mark saying about 'growing out' of the role. You look at Angel in the first season of Buffy compared to his last season of Angel and honestly, there is a big difference in physique and appearance.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

Personally, I'd hate seeing him "not Spikey" (because the blonde is his part of his persona, as others have said). But I would put up with anything to get Spike back on my screen, no matter in what form. But at the end of a day, it's just hair, even if it's brunette, curly and on his face. And it's still Spike inside.

 

[white avenger]

Well, actually only the beard would be needed to hide any facial aging. The darker hair was my idea just because James always talked about how painful the process was.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

Well, actually only the beard would be needed to hide any facial aging. The darker hair was my idea just because James always talked about how painful the process was.

I'm not even sure if James would agree to dye his hair again.

 

[Seeing Red]

I have differnt feelings about this. Only James could be Spike in my eyes but also Spike with out blonde hair? I am torn.

 

[zobothehobo]

When I first heard of James' 7 year limit I was like "why on Earth would you do that?! Spike was a fantastic character and you'd put a limit on it... WHY?" And his whole "I don't want them to have to explain it with something stupid like 'Spike's drinking pig's blood and so he looks older' or something like that." And i was like "did they EVER explain Angel's aging? I mean in season 1 BtVS, Angel looks like the show's teenagers, by the end of Ats, he looks like the show's 30 somethings. I never heard any sort of explanation like that so why would they have to explain Spike?" So no... I have no problem with the actor aging and me as the viewer just accepting that while vampires don't age, real people do. And I'm supposed to see past that. And I think anyone who says they have a problem with the actor aging in the role of a vampire should have SERIOUS problems with Angel. And I don't think a beard would be needed... the audience should be able to look past it. We did it for how many seasons with Angel?

 

[Gum Gnome33]

Spike is too punk rock for a beard. 🙂 That's why we love him!
But seriously...I think it's sort of a tough call. I mean, I'd never say no to another opportunity to see Spike on screen, (and yes it would have to be James!), but I think the cold hard truth is that seeing a significantly "aged" version of him might be distracting.
That being said, I think there's still a lot they can do with lighting and makeup. For example, I think there's a huge difference between his looks in season 6 and 7; in 6, he's mostly in dimly lighted areas and he's got darker eyebrows and maybe a bit of eye makeup. Soul-having Spike, of course, is seen in lighter rooms and wears no eye makeup at all. To me, this makes him look about 5 years older.

 

[Skytteflickan88]

I think I recall seeing James in a beard (promopic for a High Plane Invaders, but it seemed like they shaved it off and had him beardless in the movie) and it was not pretty.

JM keeps pushing the deadline further and further into the future, because he think he ages well. I don't have a source, but recall reading it. I tend to agree.

 

[Aloverssoulz]

I'd hate to see Spike with darker hair and facial hair. The only time I liked Spike's hair style changed was when it was more messy at the end of season 5 and start of season 6. Wish he kept it that way. Also from what i've seen on some Google pictures those "razor sharp cheekbones" are starting to sag now.