Why Andrew?

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Buffyverse Fan

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Sineya
I've heard this brought up before, but I didn't agree with it until recently... Why would they use Andrew in S5 of Angel over Xander?

I think Xander would have added a lot more dynamic because now he's in this position of power and he gets to stare down two of the guys he hates most.

Not to mention how funny it would have been when he saw Spike walk into Angel's conference room, since his first conclusion would be that Angel went bad again and it was some kind of trap (since the last time the two vamps worked together they were trying to kill the Scoobies).
 
Buffyverse Fan said:
I've heard this brought up before, but I didn't agree with it until recently... Why would they use Andrew in S5 of Angel over Xander?

I think Xander would have added a lot more dynamic because now he's in this position of power and he gets to stare down two of the guys he hates most.

Not to mention how funny it would have been when he saw Spike walk into Angel's conference room, since his first conclusion would be that Angel went bad again and it was some kind of trap (since the last time the two vamps worked together they were trying to kill the Scoobies).
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I wish I knew. Maybe Nicholas Brendan was busy filming something. :buffy_xan
 
never thought about that but you have a very good point. From an actor perspective, either are available so its clearly a writer decison.

I would say they were going for the more humorous yet slightly less Buffy related crossover over the less humorous but very buffy centered character. Andrew is easily transferable as a comedic yet pointless character thus needing less viewers to be well versed in both series.

Its a writers decision that again proves that 'story telling' is less important than ratings. Despite what Joss an many of the writers claim. Xander being as influential as he is to Angel the character would be the obvious decision but obviously the ratings dictated another opinion.
 
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EvilWillow77
Exactly! I think that over the years Buffyverse fans have proven that to be well-versed in the 'verse (no pun intended) is a good thing. I mean we live for subtle connections that just make us wanna go ...oooh!
I dont wanna see Xander is Angels world... for me it wouldnt have worked....

But Andrew can, dunno why or how but he and Angel dont have this history that would have just gotten in the way
 
I would say it was simply down to budget. Hire the newest cast member, Tom Lenk, because he would not be as expensive as Nick Brendon, or others. It was a show that new it was canceled, i doubt there was much money to work with. It would be nice to think that actors would take a pay cut, and show up for love of the show, but that's not usually the case.
 
I know what Joss originally wanted Dawn to take that place but she was busy filming something and couldn't make it. Andrew was their second choice. I don't remember hearing anything about Xander being conistered for that part all. I think it would have been interesing to see Dawn and Spike interact again...also maybe she could have met Conner? (A match made in heaven lol.)

I liked Andrew coming back in S5. His crush on Spike is hilarious. And his whole "vam-PYer" thing? Priceless.
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Silum said:
never thought about that but you have a very good point. From an actor perspective, either are available so its clearly a writer decison.

I would say they were going for the more humorous yet slightly less Buffy related crossover over the less humorous but very buffy centered character. Andrew is easily transferable as a comedic yet pointless character thus needing less viewers to be well versed in both series.

Its a writers decision that again proves that 'story telling' is less important than ratings. Despite what Joss an many of the writers claim. Xander being as influential as he is to Angel the character would be the obvious decision but obviously the ratings dictated another opinion.
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Hmm. What would you have thought if Dawn had showed up instead of Andrew?
 
Joan the Vampire Slayer said:
I know what Joss originally wanted Dawn to take that place but she was busy filming something and couldn't make it. Andrew was their second choice. I don't remember hearing anything about Xander being conistered for that part all. I think it would have been interesing to see Dawn and Spike interact again...also maybe she could have met Conner? (A match made in heaven lol.)

I liked Andrew coming back in S5. His crush on Spike is hilarious. And his whole "vam-PYer" thing? Priceless.
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Hmm. What would you have thought if Dawn had showed up instead of Andrew?
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haha and when angel says vampyre and spikes face is like wtf??

good times 😀
 
It would have been interesting to see Xander there, but I'm glad they chose Andrew. He added some humour to the thing that Xander probably wouldn't have done. I don't know much about s8 Xander, but I think he'd be more serious and all. And Andrews adoration for Spike was just too cute. Wouldn't have wnated to miss that.
 
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DrewBarroo
lol, love your banner...
I know there is another post on this - Something about Dawn or somebody being the first choice and not being available so why Andrew as the second choice? Obviously because of the chemistry between Andrew and Spike.

I nearly died of laughter when Spike and Andrew have their conversation about Deep Fried Onion Flowers on Spike's Hog during season 7. Hysterical.

The Italian episode of Angel 5 - "the girl in question" did not work for me at all. But again the Andrew scenes were hysterical. Same with the Psycho slayer ep. Great interaction.

Uncle Rory
 
Joan the Vampire Slayer said:
Hmm. What would you have thought if Dawn had showed up instead of Andrew?
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I think Dawn would be wierd for the sole reason that weve never realy seen them interact. Sure Angels memories would have been written to include dawn but since we never saw that (or see any explanation of their interaction like we did with characters on the show) then it makes their relationship somewhat wierd.

Andrew of course has never met Angel either but its less of a problem because hes a lesser and imo more transferable character. Andrew is filler, hes a background character with a deeper ties to other characters.

People who had only seen Angel (and their are a lot) would feel a little more confused with Dawn, that feeling like your somehow missing something. Wheras Andrew's only real connection was Spike which was cleared up in the first few mins.
 
You know, now that I think about it, that last scene, with all of the strange Slayers and the, "Buffy doesn't trust you anymore, Angel. You've sold out to the bad guys," does kind of seem like something that Xander would be more apt to say than Andrew. Andrew would have made it more dramatic, possibly with Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker overtones. Of course, the rest of the time was pure Andrew. Maybe they should have had Xander show up with the Slayers at the last minute and take Dana away from Angel AND Andrew. That might have actually worked better.
 
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eunsoma
i think so too
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grrarg
That totally would have worked for me. Too bad it didn't happen.
I my self dont understand why they choose Andrew either....There are many to choose from Why him? Hes okie but there are better ones.
 
Personally, I think they should have sent Clem...I mean that would have just fit in with the whole "New Angel, he who has compromised his values to work with (and not against) demons" even though I like Clem...he's all cuddly in an icky sorta way...I'm being fecetious really, but I'm trying to just illustrate that Clem would have added the same depth (by which I mean NONE) that Andrew did. Xander's showing up would have meant something, and I think S5 sorely needed some depth and poignance. Especially since we knew it was being cancelled. I think it would have been a nice "shout out" to all the die hards, whereas Andrew just seemed like they were phoning it in.
 
It was for the Girl in Question that Dawn/Michelle Trachtenberg was wanted. Damage was always going to use Andrew. And when Michelle wasn't available they re-used Andrew in TGIQ.

In Damage, Andrew is the logical choice because it had to be someone who loved Spike and Xander doesn't fit that bill. The episode is about, amoung other things, Angel being given a new perspective of Spike. Angel has Spike pidgeon-holed as 'a bad guy only pretending to be good for his own purposes' and then in comes Andrew, who is acting as Buffy's representative, seeing Spike as something totally different, having a whole other perspective of him:

Spike? It's you. It's really you! My therapist thought I was holding onto false hope, but... I knew you'd come back. You're like... you're like Gandalf the White, resurrected from the pit of the Balrog, more beautiful than ever. Ohh... he's alive, Frodo. He's alive.

And also, Spike's tolerance of Andrew is a nice contrast to Angel's lack of tolerance for Spike; the two metophorical "big brother/little brother" relationships are a huge feature of the episode and that certainly wouldn't have worked with Xander as the guest.

I do think that Dawn would have worked better in The Girl in Question though 🙂
 
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Spikesangel11
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Silum said:
never thought about that but you have a very good point. From an actor perspective, either are available so its clearly a writer decison.

I would say they were going for the more humorous yet slightly less Buffy related crossover over the less humorous but very buffy centered character. Andrew is easily transferable as a comedic yet pointless character thus needing less viewers to be well versed in both series.

Its a writers decision that again proves that 'story telling' is less important than ratings. Despite what Joss an many of the writers claim. Xander being as influential as he is to Angel the character would be the obvious decision but obviously the ratings dictated another opinion.
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I completely agree. For someone who loved Buffy as well it would be nice to see Xander but for others there would be too much to deal with especially because of Xanders views on both the characters.

I'm not sure if this has been clarified but Dawn was the first choice for "The Girl In Question" not "Damage" I think that was always Andrew.

I love Andrew in Damage. Though Dawn would have been great in "The Girl In Question". Though given the comic it wouldn't have made the most sense anymore (those who read the comics will understand that one). I also wonder because of Dawn's history with Spike if I would have been satisfied if they would have seen each other again.
 
You know, I always wondered why almost all of the characters from Buffy made an appearance in Angel accept for Xander and Giles. I would have prefered to see Xander over Andrew. But Andrew's funny. Especially when he sees spike and he hugs him. haha. It's so funny and awkward.
 
Possibly they chose Andrew because he was one of only two major characters, or maybe three, if you count Wood, who were more "with" the Scoobies than a part of them. Faith would have been out of the question, since she and Angel were too close. She would never use, then betray him the way Andrew, who supposedly only knew of him second hand, would, especially if the source of that second hand information was his then employer, Giles, who has either hated or mistrusted Angel since the death of Jenny Calendar. (And I still say that it would have worked out better if either Giles or Xander had shown up at the end with the Slayer Squad to get Dana)
 
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