Restless - Angel as the dream guide?

[BuffyForever329]

I remember once reading somewhere (though now I don't know where) that Angel was originally supposed to play the dream guide in Restless instead of Tara, but because David Boreanaz was filming Angel at the time he wasn't able to appear in the episode. I like Tara as the dream guide, but I would have LOVED Angel as the dream guide.

Does anyone else think Angel would have been a better dream guide?

*Also Cordelia was supposed to be in the classroom scene in Willow's dream, but she was also filming Angel. I also would have really loved that, I think both those appearances would have been a really nice sort of closure to the first three seasons and the departure of those two characters.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

I really wish they had managed to get both Angel and Cordelia to appear. Cordelia needed to be in Willow's dream, as she is a big part of the reason why Willow's self esteem is still so fragile. And Angel had already played the role of Buffy's spirit guide before, while he was soulless and while he was in hell.

Using Tara added some mystery to her. We still didn't know why she messed up Willow's demon-locator spell and she tells Willow in this episode that she [Willow] does not know everything about her [Tara].

I am not sure if it was such a great idea to have someone speak for the slayer, though. The intertextuality with Heart of Darkness is kinda weird. The book is about Marlow realising that white people have savagery in them. But in "Restless," Buffy declares that she is a fuller more civilised person than the slayer. And then Buffy adds insult to injury by declaring the slayer's hair unfit for the workplace.

 

[Puppet]

I wouldn't have liked it, personally. It would have taken too much away from the message because mostly it would be 'Angel's back! He and Buffy are in the same scene!'. At the same time, part of why I love the use of Tara is that, at this point, she is the only character that's on the outside looking in, in a way - not counting Spike, who chooses to be an outsider - and so somehow that makes her the perfect vessel for the Slayer's guide.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

Does anyone else think Angel would have been a better dream guide?

I just can't see Angel pulling off the pink outfit quite as well as Tara did.....though if anybody wanted to photoshop Angel in the pink outfit and post it so we can all judge for ourselves, please go ahead! 😛

 

[one eyed chicklet]

I think Angel as a dream guide would be more of a distraction to Buffy, she would have her attention focused on him and not the events of the dream. Tara is part of the group enough so that it's not weird to see her around, but not enough so that Buffy is too focused on her.

 

[thrasherpix]

Tara seems natural to me.

The change I'd make if I could is that Jenny was with Giles rather than Olivia, mainly because it would feel more dream like and I'm sure Giles would still dream of her. I liked Olivia in it okay (and would be fine with her becoming a more important character later on), but it would've been more powerful to me had Jenny played it, and felt more true to Giles.

 

[Taake]

I would have preferred Angel by a long shot, and I would have wanted Cordy there as well, I think that would've made Willow's High School scene even more impactful.

Tara has a good voice for a dream guide, but who was she to Buffy at this point? I find it more distracting that the character is clearly put into the role because the actor was available, not because it made sense in terms of the characters' psyche. Since it would have been a dream Angel I don't think he would have been a distraction, he would have just been there, then been gone. No dramatic hellos, no dramatic goodbyes. He makes more sense to me as her guide.

 

[nightshade]

I would have liked Angel and Cordelia in it, but I think Kendra would have made a better guide.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I would have rather it been the Master. Even more when you consider the subsequent episode.

 

[BuffyForever329]

I am not sure if it was such a great idea to have someone speak for the slayer, though. The intertextuality with Heart of Darkness is kinda weird. The book is about Marlow realising that white people have savagery in them. But in "Restless," Buffy declares that she is a fuller more civilised person than the slayer. And then Buffy adds insult to injury by declaring the slayer's hair unfit for the workplace.

I also take issue with this!! It makes me cringe when I watch it, which I hate because it's one of my favorite episodes

 

[BuffyForever329]

I just can't see Angel pulling off the pink outfit quite as well as Tara did.....though if anybody wanted to photoshop Angel in the pink outfit and post it so we can all judge for ourselves, please go ahead! 😛

Hahahahaha