Angel 5.2 "Just Rewards" confusion

[chicken]

Loved the episode, but not as funny as last week's, cuz Joss is just funnier than Fury, writing-wise.

Question 1:

Spike: ghost. Spike, goes through people's bodies, desks, walls, etc.

But:

He can still sit on chairs, sit in cars, stand on the floor.

What?!?!

How is that possible? It seems like a basic self-contradiction.

Question 2:

A thought about the Sunnydale flashback --

When the scene cuts back to L.A., the office is seen from Spike's point of view, so couldn't the Sunnydale seen actually be his memory of what happened, or rather, how the Sunnydale stuff happened from his point of view, and not a flashback? That is, maybe that scene in S7 of BtVS was really from Buffy's POV, and this was Spike's, and he sadly cannot remember anything about Buffy saying she loved him! This is all I could think, and it made me all teary. I know this is probably not what the interpretation should be, here, but maybe there's just enough ambiguity to lend it a little more emotional heft.

Comments

[keever.livejournal.com]

Okay, I didn't think of either of the things that you mentioned.

I think you're right about the inconsistency with Spike. I'm getting soft, it seems -- my disbelief is all too easily suspended. It's tough to stay consistent with that stuff, but you'd think they'd have paid more attention to it in this first episode. Just when they got good at making sure Angel wasn't reflecting or standing in a patch of sunlight, they went and wrote themselves into another tough situation. Those writers are masochists, I tell you.

As for the Buffy/Spike love exchange not happening, I do think it happened (and I know you did too). As much as I bitch about the overkill with them, I did think that it was a nice touch that one of the first things that Spike asked about was how and where Buffy was. Having an eye for those sorts of ambiguities, intentional or not, is what I think makes an especially good fic writer, in my experience. Caring so much about these characters is fun, ain't it?

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the compliment(s). I know *you* are a good writer, so I am certainly flattered.

Of course I think it happened, the love exchange. I just think maybe Spike is kind of not too remembery about it?? A bit?

And I do admit to being rather fond of Spuffy. Sorry, it's a weakness. Keeping in mind that see, if they have to be straight, at least it should be those two. ;-)

I keep hoping for Andrew, and more Andrew slashiness (xandrew?), and yes, Andrew. But I know that probably won't happen. Tom Lenk is all busy with stage stuff, and they probably already feel they have their funny and gay quotients covered with Harmony and Lorne.

[keever.livejournal.com]

Aww...mutual admiration society.

I do want to know what Spike remembers in general, and I wouldn't mind another reference to what happened in Sunnydale, since we're never going to get to see the effects of all of that on other Buffy characters (other than possibly in surprise appearances). I think it will likely come up again, as it appears that Spike will be dealing with redemption.

I very much want to see Andrew again. Given how apparently much everyone loves Tom Lenk, I think it will happen eventually.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

Another thought ... the ghost inconsistency thing is probably a budget thing.

Willow ghost was able to walk and ground and sit, too.

The Gentlemen floating, I remember they said in the DVD commentary about the difficulty and expense with the dollies to make them look as if they were floating. So it is probably just that.