Bite This ! News

FOX Stakes Buffy The big guys at 20th Century Fox are being spoilsports when it comes to BTVS fan sites. A small number of fan sites have been forced to alter or remove content after they were sent cease-and-desist letters by Fox attorneys. Boo! Fox seems particularly concerned with sites posting transcripts of episodes and sound files from the series. The studio has been more lenient about the use of images from the series, most likely because the WB makes some of them available in their fan-friendly forums. Fans argue that their sites make no profit and constitute free advertising for Fox, which by the way has also tried these tactics against X-Files fan sites. Sour grapes perhaps? We think yes.( The Buffy and Angel Newsletter)
Fox's Response
A statement from FOX regarding fan websites.
In response to erroneous rumors circulating on some internet websites, Fox wishes to assure fans of "THE X-FILES", "MILLENNIUM" "KING OF THE HILL" and "THE SIMPSONS" that it is not Fox's intention to shut down bona fide websites created by fans devoted to these programs.
However, Fox must require all websites using copyrighted and trademarked materials to comply with guidelines that protect the creative integrity of the programs they represent. Fox has not asked any websites to be closed except a few which were using program materials in an inappropriate manner. Some examples of inappropriate uses we have found include:
(a) using copyrighted photographs, images and sounds which have not been approved for distribution;
(b) removing Fox's copyright and trademark notices and asserting ownership by a third party, or asserting that copyrighted and trademarked materials are in the public domain;
(c) copying or altering text, photographs, images, designs and logos from official websites without permission or attribution;
(d) copying or altering photographs, images, designs and logos from programs in a manner that denigrates the programs, the actors or the characters they portray;
(e) using photographs, images, designs and logos to promote a product or commercial business or service;
(f) carrying advertising for parties not associated with the programs;
(g) offering unlicensed merchandise for sale;
We know true fans do not encourage inappropriate activities and respect the hard work of the many talented and imaginative people who make Fox's programs unique. Fox appreciates the support of all fans in protecting its creative rights and proprietary interests.
Movie Madness As any true BTVS fan knows, Seth Green is away shooting "Knockaround Guys" with Robert DeNiro. But he's not the only one restricted to the small screen these days. James Marsters just wrapped up "The House on Haunted Hill" and "Winding Roads." Best of all, it's rumored that our favorite bad boy has won the coveted role of Clayface in the next Batman movie! Can you say big time? Meanwhile, Alyson Hannigan comes off her "American Pie" high with a role co-starring hunka hunka burnin' love, Freddie Prinze Jr. in "Boys and Girls." And according to Charisma Carpenter, whose agent is pretty much ordering her to do a movie next summer, she's looking for a role that is very non-Cordie. But she does Cordie so well!(The Buffy and Angel Newsletter)
Kendra: Back from the Dead? As you know, Sunnydale is a one slayer town. But Kendra is back...to the WB, that is! Bianca Lawson is slated to join the cast of Dawson's Creek where she'll play the daughter of the principal and a new rival for Dawson. Fortunately for her, hangin' with this principal won't be nearly as dangerous as it was in Sunnydale!(The Buffy and Angel Newsletter)
Fans say : We Want Doyle! Doyle Article (The 11th Hour Web Magazine)
Remy Bradford, Angel fan, cuts right to the chase. "The death of Doyle has the potential to be the downfall of Angel," she says, via a fan message board. "Doyle balanced the otherwise moody characters. I really appreciate the great work that David [Boreanaz] and Charisma [Carpenter] both do, but Glenn Quinn made the show more than just a Buffy spin-off."
Doyle, played by Glenn Quinn, was a regular character on the WB Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off, Angel, and though the news was leaked to the media prior to the event itself, many fans were surprised and disappointed to see the quirky Irish half-demon killed off in the November 30th Angel episode "Hero". The reaction was extremely fast; it seemed that the moment Angel's credits rolled, the WB's message boards were bombarded with posts from viewers making their opinions known.
They were not happy.
"I watched my last episode of Angel last week. Doyle's death was my last show," said poster Melinda Mayo. "If they bring Doyle back, I'll be back in a heartbeat, but his departure leaves a huge void that, in my opinion, won't be easily filled."
Most posters tended to agree with Melinda on the issue. Some are urging fellow fans to boycott the show until Doyle returns; others simply say that without Doyle, they don't see much worth watching. The fans who plan to stick around largely cite their loyalties to Angel and its other main players, David Boreanaz and Charisma Carpenter, or the futility of boycotting. But the Doyle fans -- and there are many more than I'd imagined, all coming out of the woodwork since the character's death -- continue their campaign. At my own unofficial site, GlennQuinn.com, fans have been discussing Quinn's departure and using the addresses posted for the "Demon's Defense" campaign to write to Angel's producers, David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon, asking for their favorite character back.
A poll conducted on TheWB.com lent numbers to the half-demon's supporters, and tallied in with 82.56% of those polled answering that they were "extremely distraught" over Doyle's death. Another 14.40% proved that denial isn't just a river in Egypt by answering that they didn't think Doyle was dead at all. Only 1.12% didn't care, and 1.92% said that they weren't affected at all. And it doesn't really stop there; fans on the WB's posting boards have decided to keep posting responses about Doyle to the WB's "Pulse" polls, even though the topic has changed several times to question fans about entirely different shows.
The big question, though, is whether Glenn Quinn would be willing to come back to Angel at all, and whether the Angel crew would want him. The official word from creator Joss Whedon is that Doyle's death was planned from the very beginning... but most fans aren't buying it.
"I for one find it exceedingly bizarre," says a fan posting under the name "Chickadoodle". "Why introduce elements that make a character so accessible to the audience then kill him off so suddenly? And then claim that this is what they intended to do all along? It's very, very unusual for a freshman show to immediately take such a different turn, not to mention the fact that it's jarring on the audience. It alienates them and that's just plain bad business. It makes no sense."
The majority of fans seem to be similarly baffled. Though the claim is that the producers had planned the move and Quinn was aware of it, they still gave the character a place in the show's opening credits --for the nine episodes that Quinn was on the show -- and placed him in nearly all of the show's promotional materials, including commercials, print advertisements, photos, press kits, and posters. This isn't the kind of treatment normally received by any actor who plans only nine episodes; promotional materials are very costly, and most shows aren't willing to sacrifice their budget just to keep a plot twist a secret. Some folks are speculating that the entire thing is a publicity stunt and Quinn will be back in time for February sweeps, and while rumors of "creative differences" or deeper problems with Quinn abound, but they remain just that: rumors.
While Quinn isn't available for comment, reliable sources close to the actor tell me that the Angel set is a very friendly and professional one, and that Quinn has maintained a good relationship with everyone involved. As to whether the actor would return to the show if asked, that seems to depend more upon his future plans -- which are currently up in the air -- than on the reasons for his departure. Quinn is currently looking at film scripts but doesn't seem to have made any definite decisions on where he'll go from here.
The question now on many people's minds is how the void left by Doyle's death will be filled. Leaving ex-Buffy characters Cordelia and Angel to their own devices doesn't seem like a good idea, and as it turns out, the answer is another Buffy veteran. Alexis Denisof will be joining the cast, reprising his Buffy role as Wesley Wyndham-Price, the Watcher who replaced Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) after he was fired by the Watcher's Council. And while most fans don't seem to have anything in particular against the Wesley character, they also seem to share the sentiment that the Watcher simply cannot replace the Irishman.
Though reactions range from anger to sadness, most fans are also confused by the decision.
"How he could be considered less than imperative is beyond me," posts "darcyjae". "How the actor could be allowed to escape, when they should have begged him to stay... is incredible." Quinn's impact on the show -- and now his absence -- seem to be deeply felt by the viewers, and it is not likely he will be forgotten anytime soon. Long after the episode -- and Quinn's run on the series -- has ended, Doyle's final aired words are still ringing in the fans' ears.
"Is that it? Am I done?"
We sure hope not.
Jane Espenson Talks Buffy and Angel (The 11th Hour Web Magazine)
There's just some great things that are going to be coming up, both on Buffy and on Angel. So, everyone don't worry that the engine's running out of steam. We got a lot of hot air left in us."
That's just the kind of comment you'd expect from a writer and co-producer on the WB's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The wildly successful Mutant Enemy production is currently soldiering on in its fourth season, and its spin-off, Angel, began airing this fall, also on the WB. Both series utilize a unique blend of classic horror camp, genuine teen angst, and a healthy dose of humor. It's like television's version of the Colonel's secret recipe... but Espenson's willing to let us in on some secrets. Whip out the index cards and jot down the ingredients; this is how a masterpiece makes its way from the writer's head to your television set.
"It can take a couple different shapes," she says, of the writing process. "Sometimes you pitch story ideas to Joss [Whedon, executive producer on Buffy and Angel's co-exec], but usually he will either have an idea or it'll be clear from what's happened in the story so far, the sort of things that should happen in this episode. A concept comes in from somewhere, and then the entire staff spends anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks discussing the concept, and trying to figure out a story. Eventually, we get enough of an idea of the shape of the story that we start breaking it down into acts and then into scenes. And when it's broken down into scenes, we write it all on a big chalkboard in the office, and we discuss exactly who's in every scene, where it takes place, and what happens in that scene. And when that has all been decided for the whole episode, the writer is sent out to write an outline, which usually takes about a day. You write an approximately 14-page outline."
You'd think fourteen pages would be quite enough to go on your merry script-writing way, but no; there's even more process involved.
"Joss reads that, gives you notes on that, and then you go out and you turn it into a 50-page script, which is your first draft. You turn that in to Joss, he gives you a set of notes on that, you go out and you write a second draft. Usually at that point, it's close enough that Joss just takes over. He takes the script away and he does his own rewrite on it. And at that point it's ready to be filmed."
Sound time consuming? It is, but probably not as much as you'd think.
"At the beginning of the year, when there's a luxury of time, that process could take a month. But by now, it takes about a week, from beginning to end, almost. Well, a little more than that," Espenson admits. "I just turned one in recently, I would say from beginning to end it was like two weeks, total. From coming up with the idea, what would happen in the episode, to Joss finishing his rewrite of it. About two weeks. That's 'cause we are so far behind by now, if it took a day longer than that, it simply wouldn't get filmed."
The writers also draw heavily on their own experiences growing up, just to figure out new horrors to subject poor Buffy to.
"We sit around and discuss, 'What would be a cool monster?' Or more frequently, we sit around and discuss what happened to us in college and what feel like really core college experiences. So, 'Living Conditions', the second Buffy of the season, was very much out of [the fact that] we have to do a bad roommate story. It just wouldn't feel like it was a show about college unless you did the roommate from hell who's actually from Hell. That sort of felt like you were cheating the experience if you didn't do it."
"It just wouldn't feel like it was a show about college unless you did the roommate from hell who's actually from Hell."
Of course, Espenson can't give away too many details on upcoming storylines. As everyone knows, Whedon forces all of his writers to participate in a secret ritual of silence which involves lots of chanting and the blood of a she-goat. But even a scary blood oath can't stop some of us from a little self-promotion.
"I'll have two more Buffys this season than what you've already seen," she reveals. "One of them is [a] big Giles [Anthony Stewart Head] ep, which will be episode 12 of Buffy, and then either episode 17 or 18 of Buffy will be mine, but we have no idea what's gonna happen in that one. I mean, not even an idea of what will have happened. Joss knows what's going to happen for the rest of the season, and what will happen next year on Buffy, but not broken down specifically in term of this episode or that episode. So we really don't know."
Don't know. Sure. A likely story. What kind of spells can you do with the blood of a she-goat these days, anyway?
"But yes, I'll have two more Buffys, and I've been doing a little helping out on Angel here and there, sort of rewriting scenes, but without screen credit 'cause it's just doing a little tweaking here and there. So every now and then you'll see a joke on Angel that I will have written. But you won't know it's mine." She pauses, then adds, "But if you're laughing, that would probably be mine."
9/99--Cinescape Review of Angel ** Spoiler Warning **
Eagerly awaiting the next Batman movie? Don't bother. While Warner Bros. lets the Caped Crusader recover from being driven into the ground at mach 2 by Joel Schumacher's awful franchise installments, an exciting substitute for the Dark Knight has come along by way of the studio's TV network, the WB: the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff series Angel. Sure, Angel features the quirky, hip and humorous wit one expects from a Joss Whedon show, but the first episode, "City of," establishes an atmosphere as reminiscent of Tim Burton's Bat-films as it is any of Buffy's adventures in Sunnydale.
Set in Los Angeles, naturally, the show starts off with Angel having had a few too many drinks in a seedy bar. Although a jovial lush, our hero becomes serious as he gets a whiff of some bad things to come when a frat boy-looking chap lures a beautiful blonde out into an alley behind the dingy dive. Despite being inebriated, Angel's senses aren't lying to him: the frat boy is really a bloodsucker, and he's got a cadre of undead friends lurking in the shadows, waiting to feast on the girl. Just as the vamps attack, Angel emerges from the bar and, in an awesome fight sequence, slays the sinister band of ruffians.
But Angel's solitary adventures are about to end, as soon after this encounter he is contacted by Doyle (Glenn Quinn), a quirky half-human/half-otherworldly creature sent by "The Powers That Be," a mysterious force for good, to help guide Angel in choosing his future vigilante missions. After divining who the next target of Angel's mercy should be via a vision that accompanies a splitting headache, Doyle dispatches our hero after an aspiring actress who's fallen in with the wrong crowd. It turns out the young lady has taken up with a sinister chap named Russell (played very well by Vyto Ruginis), a creepy aficionado of struggling young thesps who also happens to have his smarmy eye on Sunnydale's own Coredelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter). Coredelia, as Buffy fans already know, recently moved to the City of Angels to jump start her showbiz career.
There can be no doubt that Angel's night time vigilantism is loosely patterned after the Caped Crusader. The show's music is reminiscent of Danny Elfman's Bat-scores and the photography, especially in scenes with Angel lurking on building tops with a view of the city at night, recalls Burton's films. Even the dialogue itself acknowledges one similarity, when Doyle refers to Angel's subterranean lair as "the Batcave." That said, Angel may be Batman but he's definitely no Bruce Wayne. Despite the fact that he's had centuries to build up assets, there's no fortune at his disposal. If Angel wants to do research on a crime there's no supercomputer in his pad; he has to break into the local library and use their Internet connection. This low-budget element only adds to the dramatics of this Dark Knight tale, since we know that if Angel screws up he doesn't have the resources to cover his trail as Wayne might.
It's apparent in the quality of "City of" that the majority of the cast and crew have worked together before on numerous occasions, lending Angel the seasoned feel of a veteran effort rather than the somewhat awkward vibe typical of freshman outings. Boreanaz's brooding bloodsucker provides the show with a strong anchor (though he has the occasional wry one-liner), while Quinn and Carpenter deftly balance the somewhat dark tone with comic relief familiar to the tastes of Buffy fans.
Not only will this show entertain fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but assuming this quality level is maintained in future episodes, it will most certainly develop a following of its own. Judging by the pilot alone, it seems that Angel has the potential to surpass even the level of success achieved by the series that spawned it. "City of" is as good a start down the path to major success as any series, spinoff or otherwise, could hope for. 4/4 stars.
--Chris Kivlehan
9/99--Buffy with a New BF?Buffy has a new BF.According to reports , Riley Flinn has been casted . Marc Blucus will Play Buffy's new BF .

9/99--ANGEL According to Joss Wheaton, The new ANGEL series is going to be more of an adult show . It will have heavier stoy lines and stronger emotions.If you have seen the 6 min promo you will see what they mean. As Joss Whedon, the creator of both "Buffy" and the new "Angel" explained to TV critics last month: "('Angel') will have the same kind of humor that 'Buffy' has. It will have the same kind of heart. But at the same time, it will definitely distinguish itself with a darker, more adult kind of tone."(Buffy Fan Forum) Buffy,Angel GuestingWhile talking to the New York Daily News, Angel co-executive producer David Greenwalt revealed that Sarah Michelle Gellar will pop up on the freshman series in its eighth episode. But before that happens, both Seth Green and James Marsters will turn up in the series' third episode. Marsters will be making regular appearances on the show. Regarding any possible appearances by Drusilla (Juliet Landau), Greenwalt simply told the paper. "We would love to see her resurfacing, but so far, the scheduling hasn't worked out." (Cinescape) Buffy's Seth Green does Dog Tricks for Nick
By Richard Katz - NEW YORK (Variety) - Seth Green, who played Scott Evil in the ``Austin Powers�� pictures, will voice the lead character in Nickelodeon�s new live-action primetime comedy, ``100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd.�� The series will premiere on Oct. 16 during Nick's Saturday evening primetime block. McDowd is a bully turned into a talking dog until he can perform 100 good deeds to atone for his past transgressions. Green also stars on the WB's ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer,�� and voices the character of dim-witted Chris Griffin on Fox�s animated comedy ``Family Guy.��(Stakes-R-Us) Actor News Jerry O'Connell (Sliders) may guest star as Buffy's old flame, Pike from the Original movie (Pike was formally played by Luke Perry. David Boreanaz will return as Angel for the first four episodes. James Marsters (Spike) has possibly signed on to be a regular for Season 4 .
Slim Chance of a Buffy & Angel Crossover's Don't look for former lovers Angel and Buffy to reunite in a WB TV-movie. "It was a production nightmare the likes of which I can't even describe," Joss Whedon, creator of both series, tells EW Online of early plans for a crossover. "We have a couple of crossovers planned [with the supporting cast], but it's just hardest with David [Boreanaz] and Sarah [Michelle Gellar]," since they appear in nearly every shot of their own series. (EW Online) Allison SMG New Movie ? Artisan Entertainment is close to purchasing a script called Allison intending it as a starring vehicle for Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), according to Variety. The script, written by Brian King, is described as being in a Hitchcock vein telling the story of a young college girl who attempts to get out of financial debt only to fall into "a set of terrifying circumstances." Gellar is said to be in advanced negotiations on the property. AMG and Greg Silverman will produce. (Stakes-R-Us) Buffy Win's an Emmy?Buffy was nominated in the Emmys for two categories:

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series
Lover's Walk

Outstanding Make-up For A Series
The Zeppo
UPDATE:
September 6th - Emmy Press Release - Posted by Tracy - LOS ANGELES, CA (August 3, 1999) - Dennis Franz, Dylan McDermott, Jenna Elfman, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Keri Russell and Jon Stewart are the first celebrity presenters announced to appear at �The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.� The show will broadcast live from Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium on Sunday, September 12 (8-11 p.m. ET) on FOX. And the Emmy goes to ER and X-Files. Yes Buffy was shut out in both categories it was nominated in. :( Watch Sunday (9/11/99) . Joss on Angel & Buffy Entertainment Weekly Info - Posted by Tracy - Again big thanks to SYNEE222. This weeks EW with Jennifer Love Hewitt on the cover has Buffy and Angel news: Angel The WB, 9-10 p.m.Debuts Oct. 5 CONCEPT The handsomest vampire in history (David Boreanaz, there's a pic of him) moves to L.A., along with another Sunnydale deserter, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter); there they hook up with Angel's pal Doyle (Glenn Quinn). THE SCOOP Veteran Buffy producer David Greenwalt says that, hurting from his split with the bodacious vampire slayer, "Angel decides to come to the big city and drown his sorrows by playing Batman. [He and Doyle] start a little helping-people business. The whole metaphor is everyone has their demons, and of course, Angel really has his inner demons." BOTTOM LINE Don't get us wrong, we love a moody, broody vampire drama as much as the next magazine, but we hope this doesn't turn into Bloddy EZ Streets. BUFFY the Vampire Slayer The WB, 8-9 p.m. EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT, but nothing's changed, "says creator Joss Whedon. To wit: Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar, there's a pic of her), Willow (Alyson Hannigan), and Oz (Seth Green) are now attending the University of California at Sunnydale, conveniently located on the Hellmouth so they can keep on fighting demons. Odd-man-out Xander (Nicholas Brendon) is doing odd jobs--"He's the townie, "explains Whedon. Librarian Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) has lost his job, but he might finally find love in the wake of his doomed affair with the late Miss Calendar. Or, as Whedon so delicately puts it, "He may have sex with someone who doesn't die." (Oct. 5)