"Ripper" Buffy's Spin Off Project - Journalist Matt Mcgoven Analysis

I have to say, it bugs me when people use Faith’s "supposed" last name, Lehane. She was never given a last name in the life of the show itself, and personally, I am a purist. If it did not appear or get referenced in an episode, it doesn’t exist in the Buffyverse ! Now, if there was a Faith spin-off, blessed and (hopefully) written by Joss Whedon, where she was given a last name, then by all means. But until that day, she will always be just "Faith".
 also, a Giles spin-off would be brilliant !!!

I think "Ripper" and your idea of a triad approach is great. Not only is Giles a great character, but his histroy as the dark "Ripper" and the Watcher is so interesting ; violent and hard coupled with a high intellect and deep sense of duty to people and ideas. Another thing that a Ripper series would do, is bring in a much older person’s dynamic to the series. This might even bring in an older age group of viewers, expand the range of potential viewers.
One other thing that this spinoff would do, is allow for the stories of The Coven and a new set of slayers & watchers. This approach would allow for Guest Spots for some of our beloved characters while introducing an entire set of new characters and conditions for storylines.
I have always thought that some time-travel and other dimension plots would be great to see. With A Witches Coven, slayers, and Watchers Council working together these types of stories could be part of a new series.
This viewer would love a Giles spinoff - we are not going to go back to the Buffyverse, the actors have moved on, and rightly so, to new projects. James Marsters and a Spike series would still be great, but only if the very high creative standards that have been applied to this character were kept. Nothing would be worse than to see Spike and his story become a bad continuation, better to just let Spike go out in a Blaze of Hero Glory.

I have to admit I never thought of Giles’ Story as the next logical step - your article makes it seem so obvious that I’m embarrassed I never realized this ! Doh ! :-) I think part of this stems from my own worry that a spin off would have to appeal to a fairly wide audience to be successful (my own desire to see it continue in a multi-season series the sole reason for this). And I always worried that the surface description - "a ghost story about some old dude" wouldn’t have mass appeal, even if more of the population has become aware of the fact that Whedon-works are about far more than a scratch of the "surface" could ever convey. But then again, I’m not sure Buffy or Angel ever had "mass" appeal, certainly not intially, so I’ve decided to stop thinking about any spin off in terms of what other people would like and just look at it from my own eyes and mind and enjoy it for the slice of Whedony Goodness that has been sadly absent from the dinner table for far, far too long.
In ths new mode of rying to do away with self-filtering, I have to say the only worry I have about Ripper is that Giles’ tale has so much detail, so much backstory, and so many juicy facets that each deserve equal exposition-time, that a 2 hour movie couldn’t even begin to satisfy the levels upon levels of story that we know are there, just waiting to be peeled back and examined with Joss Whedon’s expert needle-nosed pliers and magnifying glass (yeah, sorry, my simile’s are sadly sucky and simply unsatisfying ! Apologies, etc).
I have no doubt that we’d get a first class story with the complexity and deep, thought-provoking emotional pieces that every story from the Buffy (and Whedon)-verse that made us all fans to start with. But I know we’d get hints of the "more" that’s there, the allusions to the multiple layers of character of Rupert Giles and the experiences and decisions in his past that made him the interesting character we’re tuning in to see.
So my personal desire (and undoubtedly the desire of every other fan out there) is that we’d get a Ripper Series many many seasons, and of course the occasional (sweeps ?) appearances of various Buffy and Angel alumni. But I’ll be happy as long as we get a Ripper movie with all the thrills, chills and those delicious little snippets hinting at the amazing depth that makes Joss Whedon’s characters more alive and real than most of the people I know. I do hope it ties in with where we see Giles in the Season 8 Comic Series - obviously it shouldn’t turn into a "Slayerette Academy" movie (that should be its own pilot and series) but given that the comic is claimed as official Buffyverse Canon - and that Ripper would unquestionably be the same - then we at the very least need them to agree and not to contradict one another. If the Slayerettes don’t make some sort of appearance in Ripper, they at least need to be alluded to - even if it’s just Giles taking a "vacation" or closing his study doors to get some alone time from an apparent busy (if strangely unfulfilling to set the mood of the tale) life. In other words, Giles needs to be the active Watcher we know that he is.
The only other requirements I have for Ripper to be a -dare I say it - Rip Roaring Success (I said it, told you my writing sucks this response ! ) is to feature the Coven that Giles referred to during the Buffy series. There’s so much that was never explained in Buffy that could get at least a nod or two here. The Coven apparently was (at least one method) used to identify the Potential Slayers for the Watcher’s Council to take them for the special training should they become the Chosen One before Willow made everyone potential an actual. :-) What happened that Buffy wasn’t identified early like the other Potentials - was this something that occurred fairly often or were there special circumstances ? Also, how are these young girls..."procured" (for want of a better or more informed description) for training ? Are there families fully made aware of what’s at stake or does it vary for each situation ? Are some families resistant, and if so, what measures are taken to assure the Potential is properly assimilated (a hint at potential dark moves for the good of the world) ? I would also find it very interesting to see what other "charity cases" the Coven does to assist the needy such as helping Magic Junkies like they did with Willow (more on her in a sec !). But as with most Whedon creations, the Coven alone could more than spawn a series on its own - and what a series that would be ! I’m geting goosebumps just thinking about the potential storylines there - the lives of the members, the ghouls and forces they deal with from the typical naughty poltergeists to the ancient dark and light forces and realted secrets that deal with the very foundation of reality and the beginnings and endings of time and the Universe(s) ! I’m all a shiver !! :-) And of course there’s the "Faith Factor" as I call it - the obligatory character that is bad or gone bad that eventually comes back to the fold - but never completely - and is always one of the more fascinating characters to see what they do !
It’s so easy to get off track - something about Joss Whedon and his creations just inspires you to think, to be creative, to take a concept and run with it ; grab it and stretch it and throws ideas around and follow it in the endless directions that give it the dimensionality of all his works ! And in that, I can’t wait for Ripper. It will be a new chapter from the Buffyverse tome, a chance for fans to revisit their favorite world in the medium that is second only to reality itself. And as pointed out by others, the unique voice and perspective of Giles has the potential to expand the Buffyverse appeal to new fans who might otherwise never even consider a foray into the verse that the rest of practically beg to visit. I can’t wait ! Maybe the "Hollywood Strike" will give Joss the chance to work on this BBC production - and hopefully it will be a reality sooner than later. And it would be fantastic if it led to a new series that would explore it all even deeper - a new Buffyverse series is something that is long, long overdue.
ANd one last request - please - above anyone else - please let Willow make an appearance - even if it’s just a cameo - in Ripper !!! Her dynamic with Giles was unique and in many ways equalled, perhaps even surpassed, th Watcher/Slayer relationship. Indeed, it could even be seen as a Master/Apprentice relationship, and Willow is unique in being the only character to have actually lived in Giles’ world for a time, gained much instruction as well as direly-needed guidance and loving support from the Coven, and undoubtedly forged a new, deeper relationship with Giles while staying with him during this turbulent and critical period that would be amazing to be privy to. And I’m of track once again - as this too would be worthy of its own series, from Giles and Willow’s arrival - Willow in her extremely fragile but dangerous state, still racked from Tara’s murder, her descent in the darkest dark magics and her unimaginable state of mind and shakiness. Imagine that - a whole season long series (or two) detailing everything that happened with Willow, Giles, the Coven, and other characters we don’t even yet know - that would be fantastic beyond belief !!! omigod how I want a Season 6.W !!!! :-)
Anyway, sorry for the massive tangents, and I can’t wait for Ripper - Willow simply has to appear in a cameo at the very least, and if anyone has any powers or links to such, let this pilot be made into an absolutely fantastic, multi-season series !!!!! . It can’t come soon enough !!!! :-) :-) :-)