What did the writers like so much about Riley ?

[Btvs fan]

I genuinely don't get it. I never understood the appeal. The character was boring and had no chemistry with Buffy yet the writers clearly loved the Riley character.
Whether it was Joss on the Hush DVD so disappointed he couldn't write the first Buffy/Riley sex scene. He also later gas lit the fans saying the fans didn't want Buffy to be happy over them rejecting him.
Doug Petrie on his DVD Commentaries often talks about how cool Riley is and As You Were was basically Riley fanfiction. He also said there were huge debates in the writers room over who should win the Angel/Riley fight with Angel only just winning out because he had the spin off show.
Marti Noxon in her episode had 1 character call Riley the once in a life time guy for Buffy and that helicopter chase.
Even Jane Espenson (whose meant to be a Spuffy) has Xander and Anya discussing Riley and Buffys break up post sex like wt.

Seriously what was the appeal of this character that I somehow missed even on the rewatch 20 years later, I don't get it ???

 

[NotASlayer]

Because he's a nice, normal guy.

 

[Btvs fan]

Because he's a nice, normal guy.

But that doesn't make him an interesting character or Anwser why the writers liked him so much

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Well, think about all the time and effort that went into creating and casting Riley. And they think about the emotional connections you made with Marc Blucas, whom you are hoping blows up as an actor and becomes as successful as David did. He was entirely their creation, but the audience basically rejected him.

 

[Btvs fan]

Well, think about all the time and effort that went into creating and casting Riley. And they think about the emotional connections you made with Marc Blucas, whom you are hoping blows up as an actor and becomes as successful as David did. He was entirely their creation, but the audience basically rejected him.

You make a good point.
From the Doug Petrie DVD Commentaries I think they were hoping for a Buffy version of Clark Kent/Superman but thats just supposition based on DP commentary.

The problem was the audience didn't care in the slightest about Riley.

I don't think it helped that he had absolutely no chemistry with Buffy (though he clearly had it with Willow) while at the same time she had it with DB in the Angel Crossovers and also with JM in Something Blue and Who Are You/Superstar. The comparison was noticeable.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Re: Chemistry; Agreed. Chemistry between the actor who would play Riley and SMG should have been the primary criteria for casting.

If I had to guess, Blucas was a really big guy who made Sarah look really small, something that hits college girls deeper then they would care to admit. Sarah was off filming a movie during casting, so Aly was used as a stand in. So, they went with that, hoping it would work. But that's just speculation on my part.

 

[hoponlilmama]

Seriously what was the appeal of this character that I somehow missed even on the rewatch 20 years later, I don't get it ???

That's OK if you personally don't 'get it'. You hate Riley, and that's allowed.

I liked him. I didn't find him boring just because the guy lacked fangs. The guy was like a Batman - normal dude and working at a university by day, demon hunter by night.

As for chemistry - I think he and Buffy had it. Normal doesn't mean boring - I think that's a terrible message to put out there.

But as I've said before - whoever they were going to hire as Buffy's next love interest after Angel was always going to be a battle. Even if it wasn't Blucas who was cast.

And then once the writers decided to listen to a small and vocal group of fans who wanted Spuffy, well...

 

[Btvs fan]

That's OK if you personally don't 'get it'. You hate Riley, and that's allowed.

I liked him. I didn't find him boring just because the guy lacked fangs. The guy was like a Batman - normal dude and working at a university by day, demon hunter by night.

As for chemistry - I think he and Buffy had it. Normal doesn't mean boring - I think that's a terrible message to put out there.

But as I've said before - whoever they were going to hire as Buffy's next love interest after Angel was always going to be a battle. Even if it wasn't Blucas who was cast.

And then once the writers decided to listen to a small and vocal group of fans who wanted Spuffy, well...

I don't hate Riley I just found the character bland and uninteresting.
The actor Marc Blucas seems like a cool guy.

I actually thought he had more chemistry with Willow and even Doug Petrie mentioned it on the DVD Commentary

Which was probably the reason why they did Parker so he was the next one and would get all the hate.

I know you don't like Spuffy but its not a small group. It was or is a popular ship. Even to this day that and Bangel are the 2 main ships that are talked about and a basis for many shows. If it was just a small thing it would've dropped away or the writers wouldn't have bothered to talk about it

 

[hoponlilmama]

I don't hate Riley I just found the character bland and uninteresting.
The actor Marc Blucas seems like a cool guy.

It's not about personal dislike of the actor - that was never the discussion. It's about the character. And I agree, from what I have seen and read, Marc seems like a really nice guy!

I actually thought he had more chemistry with Willow and even Doug Petrie mentioned it on the DVD Commentary

Which was probably the reason why they did Parker so he was the next one and would get all the hate.

He did have chemistry with Willow too. He also - when it happened, seemed to connect with Xander. He fit in with the Scoobies.

Now there's the perfect example of Buffy having zero chemistry with someone - Parker.

I know you don't like Spuffy but its not a small group. It was or is a popular ship. Even to this day that and Bangel are the 2 main ships that are talked about and a basis for many shows. If it was just a small thing it would've dropped away or the writers wouldn't have bothered to talk about it

From what I understand, there was a small but loud crowd that encouraged JW/the writers to make it happen. Perhaps the rest out there weren't as vocal about it.

I know they're the most popular ships. I am a fan of the series, you know. 😉

The fact that it grew wings is awful, but it is what it is.

 

[Btvs fan]

It's not about personal dislike of the actor - that was never the discussion. It's about the character. And I agree, from what I have seen and read, Marc seems like a really nice guy!


He did have chemistry with Willow too. He also - when it happened, seemed to connect with Xander. He fit in with the Scoobies.

Now there's the perfect example of Buffy having zero chemistry with someone - Parker.


From what I understand, there was a small but loud crowd that encouraged JW/the writers to make it happen. Perhaps the rest out there weren't as vocal about it.

I know they're the most popular ships. I am a fan of the series, you know. 😉

The fact that it grew wings is awful, but it is what it is.

And thats my point. I don't hate the character I just think he's boring. Which they tried to shake up by having him get bitten by Vampires which was basically a visit a prostitute metaphor. They then forgot all about that in As You Were

Actually no. The writers knew they were popular and recognised they had chemistry which is why they did a lot of dream sequences of them together etc.
Any push back was when Fury called Spuffy fans serial killer lovers. When Joss was asked about Furys comments and the reaction to them he said no comment.

 

[hoponlilmama]

And thats my point. I don't hate the character I just think he's boring. Which they tried to shake up by having him get bitten by Vampires which was basically a visit a prostitute metaphor.

By calling him boring, doesn't show much love for the character either. The 'shake up' wasn't designed to make him edgy, it was to create drama and have him split with Buffy.

They then forgot all about that in As You Were

Because no other character has done something crappy and it was forgotten about... 😉

Actually no. The writers knew they were popular and recognised they had chemistry which is why they did a lot of dream sequences of them together etc.

Or it was a lazy rehash of a vamp in love with a Slayer. Just because they had chemistry it didn't mean it needed to move past Something Blue. People should want Buffy to not be in destructive relationships.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

Riley's sex scene in "Where the Wild Things Are" looked boring, more like ironing a shirt than getting good sex with each other in contrast to Buffy and Spike in "Smashed " and "Wrecked" where the entire house caves in from the physicality of their sex. Riley was written as one of those guys with sex appeal but no follow-through.

 

[Btvs fan]

By calling him boring, doesn't show much love for the character either. The 'shake up' wasn't designed to make him edgy, it was to create drama and have him split with Buffy.



Because no other character has done something crappy and it was forgotten about... 😉



Or it was a lazy rehash of a vamp in love with a Slayer. Just because they had chemistry it didn't mean it needed to move past Something Blue. People should want Buffy to not be in destructive relationships.

Of course I don't love him. Like I said I found/find the character boring. Thats not the same as hate

Disagree as it was in a different way to B/A. I just disagreed how they did Spuffy too. Spuffy should've been Han Solo/Princess Leia it didn't need to be B/A mark 2

 

[hoponlilmama]

Of course I don't love him. Like I said I found/find the character boring. Thats not the same as hate

Disagree as it was in a different way to B/A. I just disagreed how they did Spuffy too. Spuffy should've been Han Solo/Princess Leia it didn't need to be B/A mark 2

Of course you disagree - you're a Spuffy fan. 😉
What were people expecting with a leashed soulless vampire who was obsessed, and Buffy?

Anyway, back to your Riley discussion...

 

[Btvs fan]

Of course you disagree - you're a Spuffy fan. 😉
What were people expecting with a leashed soulless vampire who was obsessed, and Buffy?

Anyway, back to your Riley discussion...

Back to Riley, I still don't know what the writers loved so much about.

Seriously, listen to a Doug Petrie DVD Commentary and every second sentence, its "Riley is just so cool"

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I mean, Marc is a good looking guy...maybe it's as simple as that?

 

[NoShip]

I genuinely don't get it. I never understood the appeal. The character was boring and had no chemistry with Buffy yet the writers clearly loved the Riley character.
Whether it was Joss on the Hush DVD so disappointed he couldn't write the first Buffy/Riley sex scene. He also later gas lit the fans saying the fans didn't want Buffy to be happy over them rejecting him.
Doug Petrie on his DVD Commentaries often talks about how cool Riley is and As You Were was basically Riley fanfiction. He also said there were huge debates in the writers room over who should win the Angel/Riley fight with Angel only just winning out because he had the spin off show.
Marti Noxon in her episode had 1 character call Riley the once in a life time guy for Buffy and that helicopter chase.
Even Jane Espenson (whose meant to be a Spuffy) has Xander and Anya discussing Riley and Buffys break up post sex like wt.

Seriously what was the appeal of this character that I somehow missed even on the rewatch 20 years later, I don't get it ???

I truly think that Blucas never had a chance with the audience.

The audience wanted Buffy with Angel. Period. No one else, especially a supposed normie human, was going to be an acceptable replacement. Blucas is quoted in (I believe) Evan Katz's book saying that Whedon told him to stay off the internet because his character would be hated by most of the viewers.

I think @AlphaFoxtrot is right. The casting process, plus Whedon & Co's already ginormous egos, gave us Riley.

I don't blame Blucas. He had as much acting experience as Boreanatz in WTTH. I think the writer's egos saw him as the next coming of Angel. Said egos prevented the writers from seeing their mistake.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

I truly think that Blucas never had a chance with the audience.

The audience wanted Buffy with Angel. Period. No one else, especially a supposed normie human, was going to be an acceptable replacement. Blucas is quoted in (I believe) Evan Katz's book saying that Whedon told him to stay off the internet because his character would be hated by most of the viewers.

Yeah. There's no real way around that, and while I'm sure the writers didn't want to write Buffy & Angel's mature sexless relationship, and the WB really wanted a second hour of Buffyverse programming, keeping Angel on Buffy would have been fine. Heck, if they did another season in highschool without explanation, the audience would have dug it.

My best solution is to have Buffy date around her freshman year of college, while exploring multiple types of college relationships, then stick with the best audience reception.

 

[Btvs fan]

I truly think that Blucas never had a chance with the audience.

The audience wanted Buffy with Angel. Period. No one else, especially a supposed normie human, was going to be an acceptable replacement. Blucas is quoted in (I believe) Evan Katz's book saying that Whedon told him to stay off the internet because his character would be hated by most of the viewers.

I think @AlphaFoxtrot is right. The casting process, plus Whedon & Co's already ginormous egos, gave us Riley.

I don't blame Blucas. He had as much acting experience as Boreanatz in WTTH. I think the writer's egos saw him as the next coming of Angel. Said egos prevented the writers from seeing their mistake.

Yet that audience also wanted her with Spike even though some writers were against it so I don't think its that straight foward. Hell I know its not, I was never a B/A shipper and there scenes in IWRY I found eye rolling so no I didn't want her with Angel

I don't blame Blucas either. He seems a cool guy from interviews. Him telling the story that they used to put SMG on a box in scenes with him is funny.

 

[NoShip]

My best solution is to have Buffy date around her freshman year of college, while exploring multiple types of college relationships, then stick with the best audience reception.

Yes!

One thing I never figured out:

WHY did Buffy require a love interest?

The show was so much better when Buffy was single. Or, at least, not so serious about getting and keeping a man.

Post automatically merged: Aug 1, 2026

Yet that audience also wanted her with Spike even though some writers were against it so I don't think its that straight foward. Hell I know its not, I was never a B/A shipper and there scenes in IWRY I found eye rolling so no I didn't want her with Angel

In S4, when Riley was introduced, "the audience" wanted Angel. Spike wasn't on the menu.