Spoiler Slayer

As expected, I am getting a inundated with emails about the announcement that Season Five will apparently be the final season of 'Angel'. It would probably be best to try to answer most of these here, rather than respond to each and every email. Did you hear the news/see this article, etc? Is it true?
Unfortunately, yes it's all true. The WB has released an Official Press Release explaining their reasons for announcing their decision at this time. It also is an early announcement, as they do mention that they are still negotiating for 'Angel' specials. As articles/news is released, I will try to get the various articles posted in the News section, so please send links if you feel that I'm missing any.


Why did this happen, it doesn't make sense?
Actually, looking back at the stories from earlier this season, it does make some sense. Since before 'Buffy' even ended, I had been hearing rumors that the budget was a big sticking point in negotiations. Add to this the reports that the show was doing a lot of 'in-house' shooting early in the season due to a tight budget, and the very intriguing comments after the season started about finally getting the go ahead for a full season. It's my hunch, that the WB was originally aiming for the show to reach Episode 100, then based on the decent ratings okayed a full season.

However, with several new (and pricey) series on The WB's horizon for next season, it's my guess that the cost of paying for another season, just doesn't make sense for the ratings they were getting. It's doing well in it's time slot, but at five years in (and with the addition of James to the cast), it's unlikely that they would improve any further.


What about another network, like UPN or Sci Fi?
The same reason the WB decided against Season Six, is likely going to keep another network from picking it up. SciFi is definitely out of the question in my opinion, as they're going to be shelling out the big bucks for both 'Battlestar Galactica' and a new 'Stargate' series. 'Battlestar' gave the network it's highest ratings ever, but they still took a few months to decide if it would be worth making it into a regular series. UPN is dealing with the fiasco that is 'Enterprise' and I think it would be iffy at best that they would want to invest in 'Angel', again because at this point the ratings likely aren't going to jump dramatically at this point.


How can we save the show? Can you post links to my petition/postcard campaign?
I'm going to be honest, I don't feel that anything the fans can do will save the show. Unless we managed to scrape up 10 million viewers, it's probably not going to happen. The WB knows that they have a core/niche audience of a few million, and yet they still determined that the show cannot continue. A couple hundred thousand signatures or postcards will probably not have any effect.

However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't let your feelings be known. Send postcards and sign petitions, tell The WB how you feel. Even more importantly, let Fox know how you feel. As for the site, I've always taken the stance that in order to remain neutral, I don't want to single out any particular campaign or petition. So while I will not actively post any links or write-in info, there is a huge amount of information in the Daily Rounds linkage. Please visit these sites for information on how you can participate.


We should boycott The WB or it's Sponsors.
I've gotten more than a few emails suggesting this tactic, and I have to be honest and say 'Absolutely not'. I am extremely grateful for the five full seasons of both 'Buffy' and 'Angel' that the WB gave to us, not to mention the other shows that I happen to watch and enjoy on their network. I hold no ill-will towards either the WB or the Sponsors who support the show. Broadcast television is a mess right now, with cookie cutter series being produced everywhere. If you aren't a 30 minute sitcom, a reality show, or a police/medical/law drama, you don't have a fighting chance. I give a lot of credit to networks like The WB which take chances on series like 'Buffy' or 'Angel', as well as shows like 'Smallville' or 'Gilmore Girls'. All I can say is Thank You for the wonderful five years you've given me, it's much appreciated. I also know that there are fans out there who would like to thank The WB as well, so please use the Daily Rounds linkage, as many of the petition/write-in campaign sites also have the addresses to where you can send your thanks.


How will this affect the final few episodes?
This is perhaps the best question I've gotten, and I have to be honest, I really can't say for sure. At this time, my guess is that everything that hasn't been filmed, is subject to change. While I know that Joss always intended to wrap this season as if it was the series finale, we may see some additional faces from the past. With both Tim Minear and David Greenwalt expressing interest in Episode 20, it leads me to believe that 21 and 22 may have already been planned/written by Joss himself. I also think that this could bring an appearance by Sarah Michelle Gellar back into play, despite the reports to the contrary. I also would not rule out seeing Alyson or some of the others finding a way to make it into the series finale.


So with 'Angel' ending, is this it for the Spoiler Slayer?
This is a tough one, because obviously the site itself isn't solely devoted to 'Angel'. But I'd also be lying if I were to say that after 'Buffy' ended, I've haven't been doing some of my own cost/benefit ratio analysis. The site is not an inexpensive one to run by a longshot, which doesn't even take into account the personal time I devote to the site. Although I've promised that even if all the Joss shows were to go off the air, the site would still stay around and spoiling for other series, this decision by The WB does have me thinking about the future. If 'Tru Calling' were not to make it to season two (and to be honest, 'Angel' has a better chance of being renewed.), 'Wonderfalls' doesn't get picked up (which would make me angrier than 'Angel' ending), and 'Dead Like Me' doesn't get signed for Season Three, it would be a very tough call.

However, 'Dead Like Me' seems to be going strong, and 'Wonderfalls' should have a decent chance. Also, as mentioned before, I will more than likely will be following spoilers for the new 'Doctor Who' series. Obviously, if any Buffyverse spin-off or mini-series were to be announced, I'd be right there in the thick of things. I also want to express my thanks for everyone who has written in during the past day, expressing their appreciation for the Spoiler Slayer site. I don't think there's any reason to think that the Spoiler Slayer will be going away anytime in the near future. Especially if you consider the last question I've gotten...


Do you think there will be a spin-off next season?
As sad as it is to see the end of 'Angel' approaching, I can't imagine that Joss and Mutant Enemy will not be doing anything in the near future. It's rare that a production company can create memorable series that manage to achieve not only a devoted fan following when it's on the air, but turn around and generate very strong DVD sales as well. One only need to look at the success of 'Firefly' on DVD, to show that even a project that ended earlier than it should have, can still be profitable to the studio and production company. Not to mention the critical acclaim Joss and the company has received.

Is this the end of the Buffyverse, I highly doubt it. Especially since The WB is already expressing interest in 'Angel' movies or events next year. The strong fan response to the announcement is only going to prove that the Buffyverse is still very viable in terms of being able to pull in a strong, core audience. Maybe it's simply time for something new and different. While we might not see anything for next season in terms of a new series, I think it's almost certain that we won't be Whedon-less for very long.


On a final note, this is all still in the early stages of the announcement. I'm certain that over the next few weeks, we're going to see a lot of interviews and comments about this news. As I've mentioned earlier, I will try to keep up with the numerous stories as they come in. In addition, although the site doesn't have the capability of allowing you to directly comment to other fans of the site about the news, I am opening up a post on my personal page for those who would like to express their feelings about the show ending. Please feel free to comment about the news there.