The network change

[Hale Caesar]

We all know that beginning with Season 6 Buffy changed networks from "The WB" to "UPN", while Angel stayed on "The WB", thus taking away/limiting the amount of crossovers the shows were able to do. I was wondering, in your opinion did the network change hurt or help the shows?

On one hand, we know it was important for Angel to become it's own show, it needed to be established that Angel could produce stories worth tuning into each week and that it didn't need to rely on Buffy for great moments. However, whenever there were certain large events, like Buffy's death, I felt it hurt the shows because there was potential for amazing moments and conversations...and sometimes all we would get were crappy references

 

[Blondie Bear]

The "now we'll never know" moment at the beginning of season 6/3 (respectively) really ticked me off. 😛

 

[Lyri]

I actually like the fact that the network switch limited the crossovers. I think there's something extremely powerful and emotional about Willow turning up in LA to tell Angel of Buffy's death, without uttering a single word, which was, I think, a metaphor for Buffy leaving The WB. I can't imagine Angel turning up in Sunnydale and grieving with the rest of them creating a more powerful moment than Willow's pained expression.

I thought it was funny how, during S3 of Angel, they made a joke of it, refusing to utter Buffy's name in case they upset Angel, I thought that was a nice kick to The WB, who were the ones who banned the crossovers.

It was obvious that, seeing as the shows were so connected and involved, the lack of crossovers had to change, and Faith and Willow's crossovers in S4 are some of my all time favorite episodes, but, seeing as how BtVS was already firmly established, I liked how being on two different networks allowed Angel to stand on it's own two feet, and prove it could be just as good without it's sister show's help.

 

[brinkster130]

There were a few times when a crossover would have been awesome and worked in favor of the shows but all and all I think they did the best they could with the new restrictions.

Although I do wish Cordy's death would have been mentioned on BTVS.

 

[Lyri]

The "now we'll never know" moment at the beginning of season 6/3 (respectively) really ticked me off. 😛

I actually liked that at the time, because I was squarely in the Spuffy camp, and I didn't want anymore Bangel moments, lol, but now that I have no camp, it pisses me off, too. There's a comic about the Scoobies imaginings of what happened during their meeting. It made me laugh.

 

[xfivebyfive]

I'm glad they banned the crossoves. I don't really like them. I think of them two shows not one. Theyre connected but they stand on their own. Aside from s4 with Faith and Willow. I don't really like the crossovers.

 

[prophecygrrl]

I can't say I'm a fan of the crossovers. I liked them in the beginning because I felt like the crossovers were successful in showing just how incompatible those two worlds were. Especially in Sanctuary. Buffy showing up in LA is just...jarring. Like she's not supposed to be there. Sunnydale and LA are two completely different playing fields, and it shows in the characters.

But beyond that, the crossovers really don't work. The stories and characters don't fit together anymore. I especially HATED that crossover in End of Days/Chosen. Angel showing up in Sunnydale just felt so wrong, especially after everything that's going on over in AtS at the time.

I thought the vague mentions of what was going in the other show worked well. Though I do wish the Scoobies had acknowledged Cordelia's death. That was a pretty major event, and it's never brought up. Ugh...Cordy. 🙁

 

[fly on the wall]

I think it would have been easy to go overboard with the crossovers, had they been able to...and I'm mostly glad they weren't. The shows (especially Angel) really needed to stand on their own and not rely on each other. Sure, there are moments that would have been really cool to see, cross-over wise, but for the most part I'm happy with the amount of crossovers that we got.

 

[Tome]

Cordy's death should have been mentioned on BtVS. And they should have found out for Angel's son. Aside from that, I didn't mind the lack of crossovers, much.

...

Maybe also replace Andrew by Giles in AtS s5. 🙂 I know it probably wouldn't have been as funny, but I would have loved to see him interact with the VERY different Wesley, and Giles in W&H?! Awesome.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I actually like the fact that the network switch limited the crossovers. I think there's something extremely powerful and emotional about Willow turning up in LA to tell Angel of Buffy's death, without uttering a single word, which was, I think, a metaphor for Buffy leaving The WB. I can't imagine Angel turning up in Sunnydale and grieving with the rest of them creating a more powerful moment than Willow's pained expression.

I couldn't agree more... I thought that moment between Willow and Angel was one of the best "crossovers" we ever saw.

 

[Abbeycat]

I didn't mind crossovers. And It didn't bother me that Buffy moving to UPN meant that crossovers would be very limited.