Do you like Kennedy?

[Cohen]

Continue to hate Kennedy 20 years later…

 

[NoShip]

This thread started 25 July 2021!!!

Still going strong two and a half YEARS later!!!!!

Embrace the Kennedy Hate.

A new national holiday in the future?

 

[NotASlayer]

I like her slightly more than Andrew (or perhaps hate slightly less than). Who ranks at the top of my list of people Willow should have skinned alive... ("One to Go"; a far better episode title!)

In fairness, though, Andrew was given far more screen time to get me to hate him than Kennedy was. If she'd matched that, I might easily have hated her more.

Both characters seem very similar; utterly self-absorbed and caring for nothing other than themselves.

 

[hoponlilmama]

Heck and no.

If it were up to me as a writer, the Bringers would've taken care of her (and Andrew too..)

However, if she HAD to stay, I wouldn't put her in a relationship with Willow. It felt too forced and I don't think they were a good fit. She would've been more of a background character.

Instead, we could've had Willow and Faith bonding, or even Willow and Anya bonding.

 

[hoponlilmama]

I meant more from a friendship angle, but let's face it, Willow would've had more chemistry being with Anya or Faith!

 

[NotASlayer]

Kennedy and Andrew should have paired up. Yes, I know they wouldn't be interested in each other, but I never said I wanted them happy...

I did consider pairing one or the other with Spike, because they deserve a terrible relationship. But I'd feel bad if I did that. For Spike.

 

[ChaseRules]

Heck and no.

If it were up to me as a writer, the Bringers would've taken care of her (and Andrew too..)

However, if she HAD to stay, I wouldn't put her in a relationship with Willow. It felt too forced and I don't think they were a good fit. She would've been more of a background character.

Instead, we could've had Willow and Faith bonding, or even Willow and Anya bonding.

Never thought of Anya & Willow but that could have been nice . Plus Xander would have lost it at seeing Willow dating her plus then
Kennedy would have been nothing more than a bit player. Maybe then Kennedy would have gone after Buffy then 😂😂🤣

 

[hoponlilmama]

Poor Xander. 🤣

 

[ChaseRules]

Poor Xander. 🤣

Why 😜

 

[NoShip]

A lot of the Kennedy-hate seems to come from the Killow/Wennedy coupling. Does anyone know why Whedon & Co felt that Willow having a girlfriend was a good thing?

'Cause I'm drawing a blank.

 

[NotASlayer]

A lot of the Kennedy-hate seems to come from the Killow/Wennedy coupling. Does anyone know why Whedon & Co felt that Willow having a girlfriend was a good thing?

'Cause I'm drawing a blank.

What I've read is that Joss created Kennedy and loved the character and everyone else involved absolutely hated her.

Oh, and I think they wanted one Scoobie to have a relationship at the end. And picked the second worst one possible.

@NoShip Assuming we discard Buffy and Caleb out of hand, given he was an enemy, Buffy and Spike.

 

[TheXandyman]

The three worst events:
1. Hitler's father getting horny.
2. The Titanic hitting that iceberg.
3. Whedon creating Kennedy.

 

[NoShip]

What I've read is that Joss created Kennedy and loved the character and everyone else involved absolutely hated her.

Oh, and I think they wanted one Scoobie to have a relationship at the end. And picked the second worst one possible.

Interesting that Whedon & Co felt that at least ONE Scoobie had to be in a relationship. I remember serveral episodes where the absolute impossibility of a good relationship on the Hellmouth was lampshaded. Directly proclaimed at the close of I ROBOT YOU JANE where the gang glumly contemplated their future dating hells by the HS fountain. (I think it was IRYJ.....but, it was a really funny scene)

Yet another example of where Whedon & Co should have stuck with the established lore.

 

[hoponlilmama]

What I've read is that Joss created Kennedy and loved the character and everyone else involved absolutely hated her.

Oh, and I think they wanted one Scoobie to have a relationship at the end. And picked the second worst one possible.

@NoShip Assuming we discard Buffy and Caleb out of hand, given he was an enemy, Buffy and Spike.

Sometimes it pays to listen to feedback, especially when it's overwhelming. Everyone else disliked Kennedy...you pay attention.

I think it would've been enough ending on a hopeful note with Wood and Faith and their blossoming romance.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

Sometimes it pays to listen to feedback, especially when it's overwhelming. Everyone else disliked Kennedy...you pay attention.

I think it would've been enough ending on a hopeful note with Wood and Faith and their blossoming romance.

According to the vote score at the top of each page in the thread, 49% of the respondents dislike Kennedy. This is a majority but not what I would call overwhelming. But aside from that, who cares what anyone else thinks? There would be no such thing as professional sports if it weren't for referees and umpires who don't care what anyone else thinks. Going along with the crowd is one sure way to deny your own character because you abdicate your responsibility make choices yourself. I have listened to the feedback. I'm underwhelmed.

I do like Kennedy because she is the only one who wanted to do the job ahead of her without complaining about her lot in life. Buffy would have had a much easier time if she had recruited 30 Kennedy's rather than the motley crew she ended up with. So what if she acted like a bad drill sergeant and made some girls unhappy? A lot of people screw up their first assignment that involves giving orders to other people. She has done it whereas none of the other girls could really be in command of anything.

 

[hoponlilmama]

According to the vote score at the top of each page in the thread, 49% of the respondents dislike Kennedy. This is a majority but not what I would call overwhelming. But aside from that, who cares what anyone else thinks? There would be no such thing as professional sports if it weren't for referees and umpires who don't care what anyone else thinks. Going along with the crowd is one sure way to deny your own character because you abdicate your responsibility make choices yourself. I have listened to the feedback. I'm underwhelmed.

I do like Kennedy because she is the only one who wanted to do the job ahead of her without complaining about her lot in life. Buffy would have had a much easier time if she had recruited 30 Kennedy's rather than the motley crew she ended up with. So what if she acted like a bad drill sergeant and made some girls unhappy? A lot of people screw up their first assignment that involves giving orders to other people. She has done it whereas none of the other girls could really be in command of anything.

As with any survey, this is a small portion of fans so you don't really get the full picture. Some people don't even register a vote.

It's a name that consistently comes up in the least favourite characters category that I've seen over the last 20 years. With good reason. I don't agree Buffy would be happy with thirty Kennedy copies, because they'd likely defy her early on and grate on her nerves.

It's not just about her behaviour as a potential that's annoying.

If you like her, that's great.

But what can I say, I liked Rona, and I'm probably one of the few. I liked Riley. What do I know? 🤣

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Angry Lesbian Fans in 2002 were angry with the show for killing Tara, and as a way of placating them, Joss created Kennedy, and put her in a relationship with Willow?

An argument could be made either way, especially in a dangerous life and death situation.

 

[garfan]

A lot of the Kennedy-hate seems to come from the Killow/Wennedy coupling. Does anyone know why Whedon & Co felt that Willow having a girlfriend was a good thing?

'Cause I'm drawing a blank.

they wanted no chance of anyone claiming Tara was just a phase for Willow at the end of the show. Willow was a lesbian and the show wasn't going to do that thing where they mention the character is gay but they're never in a relationship.

I REALLY stand by my belief when they decidedto have Willow go bad, it was not planned with the intent of coming(the show or Willow)

 

[NoShip]

Assuming we discard Buffy and Caleb out of hand, given he was an enemy, Buffy and Spike.

Hard to argue with that!!! 😎

 

[Dogs of Winter]

I never really cared either way about Kennedy. She was too entitled to be likeable. But she was a bit too meh to actually bother hating her.
That was the problem with the potentials for me. They should have either fleshed out a couple of them more to represent the rest of the potentials or kept them all in the background.
But they went somewhere in between where they weren't given enough time to make you care about them, but did spend enough time to make you wish they had used that time on characters you actually did care about !

Sometimes it pays to listen to feedback, especially when it's overwhelming. Everyone else disliked Kennedy...you pay attention.

I don’t think any show should ever change stories / characters based on fan feedback. All shows should have a vision and if you start changing that to curry favour with the fans you are going to lose it.
And sticking to a vision wont always lead to a good show, but not sticking to it will tend to lead to an even worse one.