As a “Buffy/Angel” fan, I eagerly opened my Entertainment Weekly today to find out where Angel and Spike ranked among their 20 greatest vampires — and to see if Drusilla, Darla or the Master made the cut. And I learned I have to consume more vampire stories, because Angel was the only Buffyverse representative on the list.
Bill and Eric from “True Blood” (collectively at No. 5) and Edward from “Twilight” (No. 4) both ranked ahead of not only Spike, but also Angel (No. 7).
The EW editors didn’t provide criteria for their list, but whether you’re talking most entertaining, most popular or most critically appreciated, Spike should be on the list. If he missed the cut for any reason — even if it was a one-entry-per-franchise rule — EW needed to explain that. Yes, I know top 20 lists are subjective, but come on. I couldn’t leave “Star Wars” off a top 20 sci-fi movies list or Joe Mauer off a list of best Minnesota Twins and not explain it.
Spike ranks high (often No. 1) on fan and critic lists of the best “Buffy/Angel” characters, and with good reason.
Actually, reasons.
First, it’s his attitude in the “Buffy” Season 2 episode “School Hard”; James Marsters, of course, plays Spike like a British-punker-turned-scary-vamp. He was so good that Joss Whedon made him a recurring — and later, a regular — character. And fans were surprised to learn Marsters is actually American, not British — and not platinum blond (it’s dyed), and not undead (he seems ageless, whereas it’s clear David Boreanaz was getting older), for that matter.
Then Spike becomes entertainingly pathetic as Xander’s “chipped” vamp roommate in Season 4. In Season 5, he is romantically obsessed with Buffy, and the Marsters/Whedon team made Spike into that rarest of things: A villain you could totally sympathize with; a villain you often liked more than the heroes. Buffy using him in Season 6, Spike’s undying love for the Slayer in Season 7, and his bittersweet return as a ghost in “Angel” Season 5 all serve to deepen his character.
I say all this even though I would rank Angel higher than Spike on my greatest vampires list. I was a sucker for the Buffy-Angel thing; when Angel shows up for one last dance with Buffy in “The Prom,” it makes me cry like a child. I was completely ruined the week that episode aired. But I can see the Spike camp’s argument: Angel turns good because he is cursed; Spike turns good because he cares.
What’s more, IDW’s “Spike” comics are better than the “Angel” comics: Writers revel in writing Spike, who is sarcastic, cynical, lovelorn, and — now that he has a soul — not a terrible guy (even though he plays his big, bad vampire image to the hilt).
Like I say, I have to check out more vampire fiction, otherwise my top 20 is just going to include Buffyverse bloodsuckers. I’m a bit ignorant of new classics like “Twilight” (I feel like I’m not the target audience) and “True Blood” (I’m intrigued, and I adore Anna Paquin). I’m shamefully ignorant of the old classics like “Nosferatu,” “Dracula” and Anne Rice (although I did try to watch “Interview with the Vampire” — whose Lestat ranked No. 1 on the EW list — and wished someone would stake me about 20 minutes into it).
So I admit I’m no vampire expert. (As much as I love “Buffy” and “Angel,” I generally don’t even like vampire stories. Too much blood.)
But still, is there really, honestly, no room for Spike among the 20 greatest vampires?
Let me know what you think.
Comments
Couldn’t of written it any better John. Spike was clearly a snub but the master, Drusilla and Darla not so much. If the list were mine, the dracula from Monster Squad would have made the cut, David from the Lost Boys would have been higher, Twilight’s Edward would have been left off, and Spike would have been No. 1 with Angel following a spot behind.
But anyways, they should have had a funniest and sexiest character list. Selma Hayak easily takes the trophy with her pole dance in From Dusk Til Dawn while and Paul Reubens’ role in Buffy the vampire Slayer, one of my favorite childhood movies would have to be the funniest based on his delayed death lasting into the credits.# Posted By Seth Stringer | 8/15/09 10:15 PM
Sexiest and funniest vampire list that is. John, my new, compact acer laptop is having trouble showing the full extent of what I’m typing. The text box runs off the screen, which is annoying, so errors will pop up frequently.# Posted By Seth Stringer | 8/15/09 10:19 PM
Seth —
Do you think EW left Spike off the list on purpose, in an attempt to get more posts on its Web site? As we both know, publications get more reader response when they do something wrong than when they do something right. The EW staff is made up of observant pop culture experts who know Spike should be on that list. It seems very out of character for them to make such an oversight — if it wasn’t calculated.# Posted By John Hansen | 8/16/09 12:09 AM
spike is and always will be my #1 favorite character AND AND vampire. im a sucker for the accent and his
sarcasm. i love him# Posted By rachel | 6/14/11 8:18 PM