Why does everyone hate Riley?

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I liked Riley alot, probably because I like the actor himself, Marc Blucas. But I'd rather have Angel and Buffy be together then Riley and Buffy. Plus, I didnt really like the As You Were episode in season 6 where they brought closure with them two. Showing that he got married was pretty lame. They shoulda left it open. Because I felt that Riley really did love buffy in season4-5 but when it showed him married it made me think it was all B.S... If he moved on as fast as they made it in the show then it wasnt really love.
 
I actually really, really liked Riley....especially when he landed a nice hard punch on that arrogant prat, Parker...I was ready to kiss the screen. In the beginning, he was always so sweet about and to Buffy ('She's really weird.') and although I am completely Bangel all the way, I loved Riley's character. And Marc Blucas is hot.

I didn't like when Riley was all, 'I think I'm going to have vampires suck my blood to get me high....uh, um, er, because I want to feel like, uh, Buffy does...yeah!' It just doesn't fit! He must've known that she doesn't want to be sucked by vampires!

On the other hand, I didn't like at all Buffy's attitude towards Riley at the end of the season....it was all, 'oh you're just my boyfriend that's human so you don't matter and even though you are my boyfriend, if you can really call you that, I'm not going to tell you anything and act real suspicious, because I'm the Vampire Slayer, Version Good!' I was really hating Buffy at that time. When Riley decided to leave, then Buffy was back to 'I'm sweet and loveable.' and I was happy. Riley was there too long, is my thinking. :thumb:
 
I liked Riley in Season 4. I thought that he was cute, great for Buffy. He was someone that she could fight with and have fun with at the same time. He was no Angel, but goodness who is. I started to not like him in Season 5 when he became this uberman who had to defend Buffy instead of fight beside her. When he wasn't as strong as he use to be, he started going threw this crazy change.
 
K
Kimm
He just wasn't the same in Season 5.
I don't hate Riley, I thought it was cute in Season 4 but in Season 5 their relationship was really annoying, i preferred Angel and Buffys relationship. But thats me 🙂 I thought Riley treated Buffy great and she needed that from what Parker did to her, i am a Bangel fan but i still love Riley... its just the fac the let vampires suck his blood.... i was like how could he do that to buffy if he loved her??? anyway i do like riley but with exceptions...
 
I don't hate Riley either, and I also don't think that the relationship got 'annoying' in season 5.
I mean relationships aren't fun and games anymore when they are falling apart, I think the writers portrayed that very good in season 5. That as the closure.
I think it would be weird if Riley just wasn't there at the beginning of Season 5, so imho he stayed on long enough, as long as he should have stayed.

I also believed Xander was right with what he said to Buffy in 'Into the woods'
in a normal world Buffy was wrong to let him slip away, because guys like Riley are once in a lifetime opportunities. But Buffy being Buffy it probably was for the best for both of them.
Also story wise... I mean that if they had stretched the relationship with Riley any longer, the story would lose much of it's appeal. It would have made it so much more difficult for the writers and there would be no room for the whole spike-Buffy thing to be played out, so that would have been al loss.
I'm ranting... must stop ...now...
 
I didn't HATE Riley as much as other people seem to, but I dislike him simply because I'm a bangel shipper, and Riley came right after Angel left Buffy. It's a dumb reason, but yeah. It's my reason. Lol
 
I once read an excellent article about why Riley Finn is so widely hated throughout the BtVS fanbase, apart from the *He isn't Angel* argument. Well, let's see what I can pull together from that article

Riley basically represents the direct opposite of the values that are incorporated by Buffy and the Scoobies. Buffy is a feminist hero, she and the Scoobies are different than other people, outsiders to normal society, who nonetheless know more about the world than the average person and are able to accept it. They question authority, they are liberal and open-minded towards minorities. Their communication is open and their relation is family like.

Riley and the Initiative on the other hand represent a typical patriarchal structure, they are uniform and tend to follow the mainstream. Authority and hierarchy are the basis of their organisation. They are conservative, narrow-minded and not able to question the work they are doing or to feel empathy towards the creatures they capture.

I guess that's why so many people feel it's not right for Buffy to bind herself to somebody that basically contradicts everything she stands for. People tend to identify with Buffy and the Scoobies and might reject the values Riley represents. Buffy tries to fit in when first aligning herself with the initiative (can't pull it through tho ) and pretend to be less than she really is. Though Riley tries to fit in after he left the initiative he never really overcomes his basic values and therefore has to fail in his relationship to Buffy.
 
People do assume that he seems a "pussy" because of the obvious, he isnt Angel. I think that people dont relate to Riley that well is because os the whole difference between him and Angel. When Angel and Buffy had sex, then Angel lost his soul and then a whole series of bad happenings went on and it made the second series really interesting. Whereas riley in Series 4, there only seems to be this mystery of the Initiative. Wheres the other mystery? Where has he travelled? Who has he killed? What gypsies have taken his soul? Theres more history and more interest in Angels life, all there is to Riley is "soldier boy from Iowa".

I believe though that Riley was a good normal character for Buffy, which is what was needed, seeing as most of Buffy is abnormal, she needed something human and normal enough to make her almost forget that she is the slayer.

I wasnt too keen on "The Yoko Factor" when the Angel/ Buffy crossover took place, it seemed too much "OC teen lads fighting" then the 2 loves of Buffys life. I dont think that Riley shouldnt have been in the series, he made a change, and a nice one at that! *More normal*
 
I actually hate all re-bounds; Riley, Tara, Kennedy, Spike, even Oz was a re-bound. Also I never bought that Riley was a perfect guy. Also, the fact that actor couldn't act didn't add a plus, of course, it can be said that there has been a wrong casting.
 
THE BLUE said:
I actually hate all re-bounds; Riley, Tara, Kennedy, Spike, even Oz was a re-bound. Also I never bought that Riley was a perfect guy. Also, the fact that actor couldn't act didn't add a plus, of course, it can be said that there has been a wrong casting.
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technically Spike was a rebound from Riley, so he wasn't really what would be considered a "rebound" seeing as Riley was the rebound guy.

And if you count Oz as a rebound, then Tara was a rebound from a rebound as well.

I agree though, Marc... whatever his name is can't really act lol.
 
FahrbotDrusilla said:
technically Spike was a rebound from Riley, so he wasn't really what would be considered a "rebound" seeing as Riley was the rebound guy.

And if you count Oz as a rebound, then Tara was a rebound from a rebound as well.

I agree though, Marc... whatever his name is can't really act lol.
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I'd disagree with you saying Spike was a rebound from Riley.....

Spike wasnt even a relationship just sex because Buffy wanted to feel emotion due to her being brought back.......

That had nothing to do with her Riley relationship.....
 
THE BLUE said:
I actually hate all re-bounds; Riley, Tara, Kennedy, Spike, even Oz was a re-bound. Also I never bought that Riley was a perfect guy. Also, the fact that actor couldn't act didn't add a plus, of course, it can be said that there has been a wrong casting.
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Off topic, but...How is Oz a rebound?
 
i am also tryign to find how Oz was a rebound guy?

Where would this ludacris talk come from?
 
princess_zombie said:
Off topic, but...How is Oz a rebound?
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Let me explain how; Willow was in love with Xander at that time and eventhough they were not lovers there was a relation between them, Xander was Willow's center of affection (and attention). When Willow understood that there were no future for them, she did turn her attention to Oz and not before that which makes him a rebound. And if you have watched closely or remember Oz knew that she still had feelings for Xander and acted OK, primarily because Oz always is (or plays) the cool guy. Normally it gets down a person; for example, Riley. And I think even Spike understood it too; [Buffy: "I love you."-Spike: "No, you don't."] speech.




BTW,
Soozy-18 said:
Where would this ludacris talk come from?
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"ludacris talk"?
 
You cannot justify that Spike was a rebound from Riley because of that line in Chosen.
Spike doesnt actually know that Buffy means it, or Doesnt, he is assuming this probably based on what he saw between Buffy and Angel.
However, i do believe that when she said it she meant it, maybe not in the eternal love way, but in the right here right now, you are a hero, you are in my heart and i love you.

Just because one relationship follows on from another doesnt make it a rebound.

I personally find the Oz/Willow/Tara one classed as a rebound a stretch.
The Tara/Willow one, was born from friendship and an interest in Wicca, this led to the relationship.
Added to that, Willow never once compares Tara to Oz, indicates Oz has nothing to do with it.
A rebound case, there is constant comparison.

I really do believe you theory is very flawed.
 
THE BLUE said:
Let me explain how; Willow was in love with Xander at that time and eventhough they were not lovers there was a relation between them, Xander was Willow's center of affection (and attention). When Willow understood that there were no future for them, she did turn her attention to Oz and not before that which makes him a rebound. And if you have watched closely or remember Oz knew that she still had feelings for Xander and acted OK, primarily because Oz always is (or plays) the cool guy. Normally it gets down a person; for example, Riley. And I think even Spike understood it too; [Buffy: "I love you."-Spike: "No, you don't."] speech.
Click to expand...

Willow never dated Xander, so how can that make Oz a rebound? She didn't bound in the first place. Buffy never loved Riley, she loved Spike. If anything, Riley was a warm-up act. Though, I doubt that wet noodle could warm Buffy up that much.

THE BLUE said:
BTW,

"ludacris talk"?
Click to expand...
It's probably deliberately misspelled to signify the lack of intelligence in your argument.:asshole2:

Dia DeLa Muerte said:
You cannot justify that Spike was a rebound from Riley because of that line in Chosen.
Spike doesnt actually know that Buffy means it, or Doesnt, he is assuming this probably based on what he saw between Buffy and Angel.
However, i do believe that when she said it she meant it, maybe not in the eternal love way, but in the right here right now, you are a hero, you are in my heart and i love you.

Just because one relationship follows on from another doesnt make it a rebound.

I personally find the Oz/Willow/Tara one classed as a rebound a stretch.
The Tara/Willow one, was born from friendship and an interest in Wicca, this led to the relationship.
Added to that, Willow never once compares Tara to Oz, indicates Oz has nothing to do with it.
A rebound case, there is constant comparison.

I really do believe you theory is very flawed.
Click to expand...

If Tara was a rebound why did Willow pick her over Oz, when she was given the choice.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to remind members that, while we encourage heated debates, gratuituous personal attacks are most definitely not encouraged. Please keep it polite and civilised folks...
 
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