The Weekly Ascension
- Least-Needed Characters
by Jonathan Riggins -10.13.03
[ jriggins@blkswan.com ]

Nothing is worse than overcasting when it comes to pitching pilots for television. For newer members to the scene of all things screen-related, this can be quite a chore in determining how to cast a new project. Hell, getting to the stage of actually having a pitch can be so much a hassle that chances are you’ll never make it that far anyhow. After all, if you’re not established in the industry, you might as well toss your script in the trash yourself...cause that’s exactly where it’ll end up in the office of the Hollywood executive.

What we’re talking about today is borderlining on this long-told and long-shared reality of television. And since we’ve got nothing better to do than waste five electronic pages on sharing information about Buffy, I have personally taken it upon myself to declare who out of each of the seven seasons of our show was least-needed from our main cast of characters. That’s right. We’re cutting from the roster this afternoon.

We’ll begin by first assessing our cast. Out of the seven years of programming, we allowed entrance to Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Cordelia, Angel, Oz, Riley, Anya, Spike, Dawn, and even Tara as far as intro billing was concerned. We began with five...the core four along with the stereotypical material girl of fashion. And over the years we have added to this pile, taken out from this pile, and ultimately learned to evolve from this pile.

To start, we must first look to the beginning of our show. The original five castmates and the original five characters. It’s more than easy to choose who out of these five was perhaps most-needed or perhaps the fan favorite...but that’s not what we do here at the Weekly Ascension. Nope...we dive into more extreme bounds and learn the complicated realities of hashing out the worst of the worst. Some might argue the relativeness of any information found within this document...and they would surely be wasting their time. For we do not worry with the relevent here at the Weekly Ascension. No. We only worry with borderlining on the irrelevant here.

So, the first five. The first season. Who of these wonderful castmates was least-needed to keep this show afloat?

We’ll begin with the title character as far as weeding out the weakest link is concerned. Buffy was the lead, which sometimes would place her as the most-needed character to help the show go on. We’ll let that fly for purposes of the first season, being as how getting the show established and creating a backstory seemed to desperately need her on board to sell what the writers were going to give us for a story. Giles, as well, was actually needed for this exact same reason. He was the textbook with arms...the man who advanced the story by allowing us into the realm of all things paranormal in Sunnydale. Without him at this point in the story, we would have been lost as far as hellmouths and slayers were concerned. In short, he was needed to sell the beginning of the show as he defined all of the “whats” and “hows” and “whys” of the Buffyverse. So, by process of elimination, that leaves us with three...the three “friend” characters.

For purposes of the first season, it’s rather obvious who was least-needed. Cordelia takes the lead as she was the antagonist character...and being as how Season One consisted of very little conflict on the antagonist side, she seemed to be the least-needed over all. In fact, in some episodes such as The Witch, her role could have easily been replaced by a second-rate guest star who we never would have to worry about ever seeing again...or perhaps even a talking chimpanzee who could fly through hoops and do algebra. Hands down, Cordelia wins this round.

So far, so good. I don’t think anyone would dare dispute that assessment. We only had twelve episodes out of the first season, anyhow. Season Two, however, is a bit more complicated.

In the second season, Cordy begins to actually show a purpose in the story and grow as a character involved in many of the program’s plots. It’s almost impossible to say that she could possibly win as this year’s least-needed character for two times in a row. Therefore, we must choose someone else.

We’re introduced to Oz in this season, and at this point of the story his worth is actually useless...but he isn’t exactly in the main cast so he is disqualified from the race. Xander and Willow both go through big-time character changes during this year, and we begin to like both more and more with each passing episode. Therefore, they are excused from the race as well.

Giles and Buffy, on the other hand, start to become a bit more redundant. While Angel is introduced into the year in a seemingly replaceable role...he is also desperately needed in the end as the big-time villain. Saying that he was least-needed for the second installment is rather a bit hard to chew on. He was, after all, the key link to the slayer’s weakness in the end and also her very reason for going through emotional turmoil. To say he was least-needed would be to say that all of those great character enhancements were unneeded to keep the show entertaining.

So, since Buffy is needed to keep the atmosphere of the show in high-school, we’re going to have to vote out Giles for the second season as the least-needed character. He was, after all, somewhat redundant by this point. We’d already outlined the purpose of a slayer...and his role seemed to become pushed in several different directions that never became quite clear as far as purpose was concerned. And also, the fact that his billing caused Jenny Calendar to become involved and eventually die....Well, I can’t forgive that.

Season Three brings Oz into the picture of the main cast, but unfortunately by this point he also is actually worth keeping around. He sells a budding romance with Willow that is the best by far out of any of the show’s relationships...and as a result he begins to grow as a needed necessity. Damn Seth Green for being a good actor.

Buffy, of course, is still selling the show and setting the atmopshere...so her stay is rather needed. And also, considering that Xander and Willow by this point are finally taking part into some lovely romance action of their own...can’t say either of them can be weeded out either. It’s also hard to rule out any of these three simply based on the fact that they are the core three who established the series...and at that point of the show were still maintaining what the program was all about. In fact, by that time, those three had established themselves as the poster-children for all things Buffy-related. Getting rid of any of them for that season would have been impossible and ratings-suicide...and also establishing any of them as the least-needed character for that year is a rather hard pill to swallow for anyone...including me.

Giles was replaced by another watcher that year, and his role was somewhat more interesting than the previous season because of it. Watching him interact with a man who was almost like himself in so many ways...and almost not in so many other ways...very useful and entertaining. So he stays.

Meanwhile, Cordelia Chase would have been the least-needed as far as characters are concerned...as her disappearance from Season Four appeared to be better done sooner rather than later (and also because after the Xander romance break-up, her purpose in the plots began to fade). However, she is able to make it past the receiving end of this award for the year simply based on who else was also in the cast for the season...

Yep. You guessed it. That leaves us with good ole Angel. And yes, he does take the cake for all things least-needed during the year of the third. Bringing him back to life was rather anti-climactic in regards to the way Season Two had ended. I very much wish they had either not killed him or saved that epic death scene for someone who actually would remain dead. Or perhaps if they simply had brought him back to life much later and outside of the Sunnydale city limits...maybe even bringing him back just to start his own spin-off in LA...that might have been an acceptible alternative. In truth, it almost appeared as though his purpose in Season Three could have easily been played off by any of the other characters for that year. Sure, it was a nice little touching number at the end with him leaving the show and everything, but when all things are considered and all characters are weighed for their true worth and purpose...it just seems he came out a bit too short for the year. Sorry, Angel. Better luck next time.

Season Four was an easy one...and perhaps the easiest out of all of them. While at first glance it might appear Oz’s worth was jeopardized by his leaving the show, he actually turned out to be a needed accessory as he helped to bring the character of Willow into new heights as an individual. Therefore, considering this, the champion of Season Four is once again good ole Rupert Giles. Why? For starters, he simply appeared to be dragged around all season as extra baggage with no real direction. He was no longer Buffy’s watcher, which made him basically just the creepy old unemployed man next door who hangs out with college girls during his free time. Had he been employed around the campus, things might have appeared differently...but that’s simply not the case with what the writers gave to us. I don’t even have to analyze this season. We’ll just give it to him on good faith and move along.

Season Five is a bit more difficult. Not only does Rupert Giles bring himself back into the story, but also all of the other characters seemingly undergo big-time development changes as well...putting everyone back into the hard-competing action of weeding one another out for a least-needed award.

Dawn came on as a newbie, which normally would place her ahead of the rest...but her purpose was rather needed for the whole big mega plot action of the season...so she makes it out relatively untouched by this award. However, we do have a couple of half-seasoners for the year. And unlike Oz, these two are simply going to have to battle it out for who deserves to win. We’re of course speaking about Riley and Anya in this instance...and both seem to be in the running for the least-needed award for the year. Since Riley, of course, ended up leaving the show...he obviously will win. Army boy only stuck out for a few small episodes, anyhow. So...it goes to Riley. Good job, Iowa boy.

Season Six was a toughy, but a goody. I obviously have to say that Buffy is the least-needed for the season. Her purpose died during the year prior...along with her very character. Bringing her back to life was a pang better left unburied. Go back two articles to find out why. Even so, this season was perhaps the best year out of all of them. It gave to us a chance to get into a lot of “real life” issues and plunge our minds into the depression of what the real world is all about. Kudos to the writers for giving us that chance.

And finally...Season Seven. Deciding who was least-needed for the last year was definitely the hardest of the tasks. We’ll relieve the chance of granting Buffy this title simply because she gave Holden Webster what little air-time he had...and also because it’s just a nice thing to do for the lead of the program being as how it’s the end and all. Unfortunately, this leaves us with a very difficult decision. I can’t say Willow was the least-needed. Mostly because it’s Alyson Hannigan playing the part. If anything, she proved to be the most-needed out of all the characters...simply to make at least one of them appear likeable. And also unfortunately, this leaves us with Spike, Xander, Anya, and little Dawn to compete for my trophy.

It seems hands-down almost that Anya should receive this award. Dawn is the slayer’s sister and therefore her key link to getting over the depression of Season Six. In other words, she keeps Buffy happy. Getting rid of her makes Buffy sad. So we keep her. And thus, happiness ensues. No more depression. And the village rejoices.

Xander has been there since the beginning, which makes voting him out a rather tough thing to do. And Spike is the guy who helps Buffy realize she’s as selfish as she is unloving (how could I vote THAT out?). So Anya would appear to be the winner...except for one tiny, almost microscopic detail involved: We needed some deaths for the end...and Anya was the first of the main cast to give her life that year.

So, that takes us back to the big three. Dawn appears to have little to nothing to say...which would normally give her a lead. But again, her character at least did have SOME development for the last year. In fact, so much so did she have a story that I am going to rule her out and leave it down to Spike or Xander.

And here comes the real race. Which was least-needed? And that is the answer I must now give. So, here goes...

Xander is the least-needed by far.

It is actually quite sad, of course. After all, before this year Xander was the clown...the every man. He was the all-loving, all-friendly, all-smiling, all-helping guy next door. But unfortunately, the writers truly did betray his character. We lost contact with him...lost our connection to him. His character seemed to float out the door after the premiere of that season...and he never truly came back to his original status. We were left with a number of episodes where he just didn’t make much noise. He wasn’t even in Conversations with Dead People, and that was by far one of the greatest episodes of all time. So...in short, Xander was betrayed. And as a result, he was the least-needed.

This isn’t so much an insult to the character as it is to the development of the season. Had Xander been in more of it, it might have brought the show some better episodes. But...that’s simply not the case. He wasn’t there. We didn’t see him. So how could I possibly say he was needed? He obviously wasn’t.

So, there we have it. The seven years outlined with seven characters who were least-needed over-all. And now that I have done them absolutely no justice with a pointless column, I will take my leave. Have a nice day.