oss Whedon, creator of The WB network's hit show Buffy the Vampire
Slayer, takes on added duties this year with the Buffy spinoff
Angel. Whedon's creations have won him a broad
fan following, particularly on the Internet, where fans gather to share
their enthusiasm for all things Sunnydale. Whedon, one of
Hollywood's best-known script doctors, has also been working on a rewrite
of the upcoming feature film version of The X-Men. Whedon took a few
minutes last week to talk to Science Fiction Weekly about his two shows, his fans, his film career,
the decision by The WB to postpone two controversial Buffy episodes
last season in the wake of real-life high school shootings, and more.
You've got a full plate this television season; the fourth for
Buffy and the first for Angel. How are you going to juggle
the two shows?
Whedon: I really have no idea. I am burned out already.
[Angel executive producer] David Greenwalt and I just stare at each
other balefully and say, "What were we thinking?" I think my life is
over, and that's just something I have to deal with. [Seriously], I don't
know how it's done. Basically, it just means I work harder. We were working
16 hours a day on Buffy, and now we work 16 hours a day, but more
concentrated. It's more mentally exhausting. But it's not like you can
let it slide. I still don't work on Sundays when I can avoid it. Now I'm
actually firm about not working Sundays, since I'm so burned out after the
week, more so than before.
What changes do you have in store for Buffy and the gang this season?
Will college be a kinder environment for Buffy? If high school was hell,
what will college be like?
Whedon: College is similar hell. Everyone's emotions are still a
roller coaster, and there are themes aplenty. Basically it's a new experience
for Buffy--a lot of new freedoms, new restrictions, new fears--but at the
same time a lot more fun. Last year was harsh for her; this year she
explores a lot of new personalities and relationships and emotions with
all the freedom and fun of college, but also the fear that it brings.
There's the lack of security and all the fear. [Her mother] Joyce will be
in it less, since Buffy's not living at home.
Will you turn Amy, the witch, from a rat into a human?
Whedon: Someday we'll probably figure a way to do that.
Will there be new villains?
Whedon: Yes. Much more I cannot say. We have
a season arc planned, and there's definitely stuff going on around her
that's new, and very strange, but we're keeping it a mystery.
What can you tell us about how Angel will differ from
Buffy? You've said it will be more adult. It's been said it will be
darker; people have described it as a vampire Batman. How will you
sustain a distinct voice for the show?
Whedon: It brings with it certain elements that necessarily make it
different from Buffy, the first and foremost among them being [star]
David [Boreanaz]. He's a different performer playing a different character.
He's intense, dark, a solid moral person you trust. Buffy was a constant
underdog and open to everyone. Angel is someone you see from afar; he's
more closed. The kind of attraction they emit is different, almost the
opposite, which is why they made such a good couple. We're also not dealing
with high school or college; we're dealing with the big, bad grown-up world
and the people first entering it. We're looking at a lot of the things
people go through: getting their apartments, trying to date outside the
controlled environment of a campus, getting married. These rituals happen
to people in their 20s. But of course, they'll all be scary and horrible.
[The dark look of the show] is very much intentional, necessitated
because Angel's not wearing pink. And it's L.A. and, also, he's a
vampire, so not a lot of daytime. Of course, we don't want it to be
unrelentingly dark, blue-colored. There will definitely be lightness and
humor.
How much of a commitment has The WB given you for Angel?
Whedon: Thirteen episodes. So far, [the reaction from The WB has]
been very positive. They seem very pleased, and we're still finding our
footing in some ways. The show is discovering itself, as they do in the
first few episodes. We're turning out good stories as we find our way, and
The WB seems quite pleased.
How do you feel about The WB's decision last year to postpone both
"Earshot"--about a potential high school massacre--and "Graduation Day,
Part 2," the season finale in which students take up arms against a giant
serpent?
Whedon: I agreed with the postponement of "Earshot," but not
"Graduation Day," but I respected their motivations for doing it. I didn't
think they needed to, but I didn't hate them for it either.
What did you think of the fans' efforts
to distribute the episodes in bootleg form? And what did you think of the full-page ad the
fans took out in Daily Variety over the summer protesting the decision?
Whedon: I got in big
trouble for saying I thought it was cool [that fans were bootlegging the
episodes], but ultimately it was nice to know that people cared about the
show. [The WB] thought they would get terrible ratings, but they did fine
when they finally aired. [The bootlegs] did not hurt us that much in
terms of the network's needs. We were all just tremendously touched [by
the Variety ad]; it was very cool. I have a framed copy of it in my office.
You've developed quite an Internet-based following for Buffy.
What do you think of that? Do you read fan comments, and do they
influence your thinking about the show? Or do you ignore most of it?
Whedon: I think it's really neat. I haven't had as much time as I
used to to check in and see what people are talking about. [But] sure,
I'll read the posting board. I'm always interested to see what people are
responding to, and what they're not. To an extent it does [affect me].
For example, when I saw that people were rejecting the Oz
character when he was first introduced, I realized how carefully I had to
place him. I wrote scenes where Willow falls in love with him in a way
where fans would fall in love with him too. You learn that people don't
take things at face value; you have to earn them. It was clear
that David was a popular figure fairly early on.
Do you
share William Shatner's opinion of the most ardent fans that they need to
get a life?
Whedon: I have never
had any particular life of my own, so I don't see any particular reason why
anyone should run out to get one. Of course, if they're dressing up like
Willow and staying in their basement for nine months at a time, that's not
good. But the show's designed to foster slavish devotion; it has it from
me, and I entirely respect it in others.
How do you feel about the cultural impact of Buffy? The comics,
merchandise, fan fiction, etc?
Whedon: Again, the show was designed to be the kind of show that
people would build myths on, read comics about, that would keep growing.
So naturally, I'm wicked pleased that it's entering people's consciousness.
I obviously can't read [fan fiction], but the fact is there seems to be a
great deal of it, and that's terrific. I wished I'd had that outlet as a
youngster, or had the time to do it now.
Let's talk about your feature film plans. You've said that the studio
won't be using your rewrite of The X-Men. Are there pet projects
you'd like to see produced?
Whedon: I'm not too hopeful my version [of The X-Men] will
show up; there may be some stuff left when the dust settles, but no, it
looks like they went a different way. The difference between my movie
career and my TV career is, my TV career has been successful. I'm very
unhappy with my movie career. There's stuff I'm proud of, but some really
big disappointments, Alien Resurrection being first and foremost
among them. [I have lots of ideas], but there are none I can actually
describe. I've had such bad luck seeing things turn up before I have a
chance to develop them. A Buffy movie would be a thrill; it would
be totally good for the cast and they deserve it. They'd be terrific on the
big screen. But it's nothing resembling a reality at this point, and it
certainly isn't something we'd do while the show is still on the air.
But it's something that would be wicked cool to me.
What's Oz's last name?
Whedon: Osborne.
What's Angel's? Do we ever find out?
Whedon: I'm not sure. We will find out one day.
Do you believe in vampires?
Whedon: I do not. I think that they are something we made up
that's cool.
