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He Shows No Signs of Slowing Down |
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| Continued from previous page... As for Buffy, not only will it begin its sixth season with a 2-hour season premiere on Oct. 2 on its new network, UPN, it will also be replayed from the very beginning on FX starting Sept. 24. In fact, Marti Noxon, who has been a regular writer since the show's debut, will share an executive producer credit with Whedon this season. Many fans were up in arms over the network change of address, angry that Buffy is now separated from Angel, which has been moved to Mondays at 9 p.m. on the WB. Fans were also angered that there will no longer be any crossovers between the shows.
A film graduate of Cal State University in Long Beach, CA., Minear is a prolific writer, having worked on Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and The X-Files before joining the writing staff of Angel. He wrote the majority of the flashback episodes, including the above-mentioned "Darla," "Somnambulist", which introduced Penn, another blood-child of Angel's, and "Prodigal", where Angel's birth name was revealed to be Liam. Other turning point episodes like "Sanctuary", "Reprise", and "Epiphany", were also written (or co-written) by Minear, cementing his status as one of the essential creators of the Angel mythos. In the upcoming season, Fred (Amy Acker), a character who was introduced in the final four episodes of the second season, will become a regular addition to the cast. The Host (Andy Hallett) will be appearing on a recurring basis, as well AS Kate Lockley (Elisabeth Rohm). Rohm told CityofAngel.com recently that she tentatively plans on doing four episodes, which shouldn't interfere with her new role as a regular on NBC's Law & Order. A new villain will be introduced, portrayed by Keith Szarabajka, who starred on Angel co-creator and executive producer David Greenwalt's short-lived yet critically acclaimed 1996 series Profit. "There's going to be a villain named Holtz. He's a vampire killer who's been hunting Angel for years," Greenwalt told TV Guide Online. "(Szarabajka's) got a great voice ... really low and smoky." For those of you keeping score, Holtz was mentioned (READ: mentioned, not shown) in the Season Two episode, "The Trial." In a flashback scene set in 1765 France, Holtz and his band of vampire-hunters herded Angelus and Darla into a barn. Darla left Angelus to his own devices and escaped on horseback, telling her to meet her in Prague if he survives.
One thing that has not been confirmed is if Whedon will be making another cameo on Angel like he did last season. Taking a page from legendary director Alfred Hitchcock and rising star M. Night Shyamalan (the writer/director of The Sixth Sense), Whedon made a brief appearance in the episode, "Through the Looking Glass." He appeared as Numfar, who was ordered by the Host's mother to do "the dance of shame," among other dances. Non-Buffy Projects and False Starts Whedon also has his fingers in other pies that have nothing to do with Buffy or Angel. In the past year, he co-wrote the screenplay for the animated feature Titan A.E., starring Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore. He also wrote an entire draft of the X-Men motion picture, which was thrown out, much to his disappointment. He also shared a story credit on this summer's Disney animated feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, starring Michael J. Fox and James Garner.
Whedon has another project up his sleeve but isn't saying what it is. He did say at the San Diego Comic-Con that part of the reason Marti Noxon will be an executive producer on Buffy is give him some more spare time, although he will still be participating on his shows in a "big way." "I have a couple of things in mind (for my film project)…" he said. "I'm definitely looking to make a feature and something will come out about it within the next few months when I figure out which one it is that I'm going to make."
Buffy the Vampire Slayer has come a long way since its debut in 1992 as a feature film with Kristy Swanson as the title character. The movie strayed away from Whedon's original vision. Although it was not a box office success, it achieved immortality as a cult classic. Nearly five years later, Gail Berman, president of 20th Century Fox, resurrected Buffy, marketing it as a TV series and giving full creative control to Whedon. On March 10th, 1997, Buffy the Vampire Slayer debuted with Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy, earning rave reviews from both TV critics and fans. Not only did it make overnight stars out of Gellar, Anthony Stewart Head, Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, Charisma Carpenter, and David Boreanaz (who had a recurring role the first season), it also put the WB network on the map. From that point, Buffy went from a cult classic to a pop culture icon, becoming one of the most widely successful sci-fi franchises this side of Star Trek. In addition to the spin-offs (two of which is waiting in the wings), there is a wide variety of Buffy and Angel merchandise, ranging from comic books, novels, trading cards, video games, action figures, posters, calendars, student planners, coffee mugs, even refrigerator magnets. And despite it all, Buffy and Angel still show no signs of getting long in the fang. With all these projects, how does Whedon find the time to do such quality work? He said, tongue planted firmly in cheek, that sleep is overrated. If you're worried the great Whedon is spreading his creative talents too thin, fear not! His imagination reaches to the depths of Tolkien's labyrinth and he is wise enough to surround himself with gifted creators like Greenwalt, Noxon, Loeb, and Minear, who share his vision for his creations. Last season was just a warm-up for Whedon and company as they continue to keep Buffy and Angel fresh and exciting in the years to come. Written by CoA Editorialist Ned Flanders
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