Was it really necessary for Buffy to tell Riley about Angel?

[Joshua]

I mean I realize Buffy was trying to be honest with Riley, but it wasn't really necessary to tell him about Angel. All Riley needed to know was about Buffy being a Slayer. He didn't need to know about Angel.

 

[Gum Gnome33]

Well Buffy was looking for a serious relationship with Riley so it made sense that she'd talk to him about this guy who she'd thought of as the love of her life, before him.

As for telling him that he was a vampire? I mean that very fact informed such a significant portion of her life and the experiences that made her who she was so though she didn't have to tell him, it'd have been a shame if she didn't. I guess she figured that if Riley was worth her love he'd understand. Otherwise, she'd move on.

 

[white avenger]

I would have to say, no more necessary than it was for her to tell Angel about Riley. Both were tasteless and uncaring, if not downright cruel.

 

[Jodast]

For all her save-the-world-awesome-super-poweredness, Miss Summers didn't really have a fully developed discretion muscle.

I can understand that people sometimes become spiteful after a break up and so telling Angel about Riley to aggravate him, while unkind, sot of makes sense. Why she would tell Riley about Angel beyond, 'I had a bad relationship with the last guy but his hair was better than yours.' always baffled me a bit 😀

Flawed characters are such a large part of why I like Joss' shows, though, that I am willing to give him a pass. On this one at least.

 

[brinkster130]

It may not have been necessary, but it made sense why she did. Buffy wanted a honest, serious, normal relationship and part of having that is being able to be honest about your past with your current significant other. Her relationship with Angel still effected her at the time, so it being able to share that with Riley would have been a way for her to explain her current feelings/expectations.

 

[Blaze]

I don't think it was necessary until New Moon Rising, I think after the circumstances with Oz and everything, she kinda owned it to him to let him know, if only to let him take the decision of whether he was okay with it or not. Also, Riley was being a jerk with the whole monster thing and was indirectly hurting Buffy, I think she had to tell him to prevent any further problems down the lane.

 

[fitz1980]

I'm with the Buffy was right camp on this one. I'm still friends with a few girls who were more than friends back in the day and my fiancé knows that because I feel not being totally honest with her would be disrespectful. Granted none of them were vampires, but one was a fetish model who has been an extra in "The Vampire Diaries." Does that count?

 

[Lyri]

Yes, she was completely right to tell Riley about Angel, because it would have been bad if Riley somehow found out on his own. I mean, look at Riley's reaction when Xander accidentally let slip the circumstances surrounding Angel losing his soul. Riley was mad as hell, how much angrier would he have been if Buffy hadn't told him anything at all and Angel just showed up like he did?