Who wrote the best Spuffy stories?

[GoSpuffy]

This is a link to who wrote each episode: Complete Writer List - BuffyGuide.com

Often it seemed some writers were shipping Spuffy and some weren't. Sometimes I think James Marsters took lines that were supposed to make us hate Spike and turned them into something that trancended the original intent. For example in Smashed when Spike finds out he can hurt Buffy and tries to hurt a girl in an alley but seems so hesitatnt to do so. Rebecca Rand Kirshner gets points for Tabula Rasa and Hells Bells. I think Jane Espensen was a closet Spuffy with episodes like Pangs. Marti Noxon seems to write both pro and against. So here's the question.....who wrote Spuffy best? And who wrote them poorly?

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I'd have to go with Joss. He wrote The Gift and School Hard, which have some of the best scenes between Buffy and Spike in the series.

 

[GoSpuffy]

I'd have to go with Joss. He wrote The Gift and School Hard, which have some of the best scenes between Buffy and Spike in the series.

I think you may be right. He also wrote OMWF. Special mention has to go to Petrie for Fool for Love. DeKnight loses points for seeing red. Personally I don't think Spike would have raped Buffy. They both were using sex in less than conventional ways. I think he was acting similar to invisible buffy and not taking no for an answer. He could have continued to attack if it was a rape, when he realized that buffy was seriously this time about saying no he stopped. DeKnight should have made that a lot more clear.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Who wrote the best Spuffy stories? Douglas Petrie

 

[cerocket]

DeKnight loses points for seeing red. Personally I don't think Spike would have raped Buffy. They both were using sex in less than conventional ways. I think he was acting similar to invisible buffy and not taking no for an answer. He could have continued to attack if it was a rape, when he realized that buffy was seriously this time about saying no he stopped. DeKnight should have made that a lot more clear.

I'm actually going to go with DeKnight on this one:

Everyone ever disagrees with me on this, but I think the attempted rape was really intentional on the part of the writers. Sure, a lot of fans hate it, but I think that was the point. It was the writers telling us, in no uncertain terms, not to romanticize Buffy and Spike's relationship, that it was unhealthy and bad for Buffy as well as Spike (up until then we'd only really seen this addressed with her "I'm using you" speech) and most importantly that he wasn't a good guy. The fans fell in love with him and everyone forgot that he was a murderer and a rapist who hadn't really made an active choice to change.

I love that scene for grappling with how destructive unhealthy relationships can be and how quickly and unexpectedly they can turn on you. And for setting up the Buffy/Spike relationship arc of season seven, which I think is some of the most lovely, bittersweet and honest work on the whole show.

 

[GoSpuffy]

I'm actually going to go with DeKnight on this one:

Everyone ever disagrees with me on this, but I think the attempted rape was really intentional on the part of the writers. Sure, a lot of fans hate it, but I think that was the point. It was the writers telling us, in no uncertain terms, not to romanticize Buffy and Spike's relationship, that it was unhealthy and bad for Buffy as well as Spike (up until then we'd only really seen this addressed with her "I'm using you" speech) and most importantly that he wasn't a good guy. The fans fell in love with him and everyone forgot that he was a murderer and a rapist who hadn't really made an active choice to change.

I love that scene for grappling with how destructive unhealthy relationships can be and how quickly and unexpectedly they can turn on you. And for setting up the Buffy/Spike relationship arc of season seven, which I think is some of the most lovely, bittersweet and honest work on the whole show.

I understand the Spike had to do something really bad in order to be pushed to change, I just don't think it had to be so harsh. Maybe it was just good acting by SMG and JM but that whole scene is all kinds of disturbing. I'm right with you on your season 7 thoughts. I'm always a little afraid to admit how much I like parts of season 7 because nobody else does. I give you it was rushed and there were too many "potentials" but a lot of it was really well done.

 

[cerocket]

That's the thing; the scene is supposed to be disturbing. And considering how frequent intimate partner violence is in real life I actually don't think it was too far or a stretch. I think it was a brave writing choice and brilliantly performed.

Also, now that I'm a grown up I totally appreciate both six and seven more 🙂

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I think you may be right. He also wrote OMWF. Special mention has to go to Petrie for Fool for Love. DeKnight loses points for seeing red. Personally I don't think Spike would have raped Buffy. They both were using sex in less than conventional ways. I think he was acting similar to invisible buffy and not taking no for an answer. He could have continued to attack if it was a rape, when he realized that buffy was seriously this time about saying no he stopped. DeKnight should have made that a lot more clear.

I believe that Spike would have stopped, too even if she hadn't shoved him off. I think he was in some sort of daze, or at least that's how James played it, and he would have snapped out of it before he actually raped her. Just my opinion. In reality, he was as strong as her, and with her being injured, if he really wanted to overpower her, he could have.
 

That's the thing; the scene is supposed to be disturbing. And considering how frequent intimate partner violence is in real life I actually don't think it was too far or a stretch. I think it was a brave writing choice and brilliantly performed.

Also, now that I'm a grown up I totally appreciate both six and seven more 🙂

Same here. I see S6 as the most relatable, honestly. I totally relate to what the characters are going through.

 

[cerocket]

I mean, he did stop; the writing tells us as much. That doesn't make it not attempted rape/sexual assault.

(season 6 is my favorite. but then, I like being emotionally devastated.)