Cast listings in the closing credits in TV shows are usually reserved only for background characters with unimportant parts, or those with no speaking roles, but occasionally main characters are listed there when their appearance is to be a surprise. Examples of this in the Buffyverse are in Two To Go, in which Giles makes a dramatic entrance at the end of the episode; the Angel episode Judgement, in which Faith (Eliza Dushku) is visited by Angel; and There’s No Place Like Plrtz Glrb, in which Willow appears at at the very end of the episode. In Destiny, Christian Kane’s name was omitted from the opening credits to make his character Lindey’s arrival a surprise.
January 18th, 2006 at 12:58 am
Ah, I always wondered about this!! Thanx for clearing it up for me Jess, I can always rely on you!
June 16th, 2006 at 11:35 am
They also did this in The Harsh Light of Day aswell didn’t they? Name James Marsters at the end as a special guest star, so the surprise return of Spike wasn’t ruined. Am I right in thinking that or am I getting mixed up?
June 16th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
They did for the first airing (of course, the commercials leading up to it were so unavoidable as to make it impossible to know that he was in it). After the first run, his name was at the front, and it is also at the front on the DVD (at least here).
June 16th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
I loved it whenever Joss would do this because it was such an awesome moment when you would see the character when you weren’t expecting to. Giles’ appearance in Two To Go is personally my favorite. It was so dramatic and he came in right at the end of the episode so as soon as the camera cuts off him, you see in big font, “Anthony Stewart Head.” Like, you were still in shock to see Giles and the credit just came right at you. Good stuff.