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Buffy S7 - What's Up With Smg ? (1 Viewer)

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Taking a quick look at the Buffy S7 set, Sarah Michelle Gellar is noticeably absent from all the extra features, even the wrap party featurette. I know this isn't a new phenomenon but you would've thought she might have deigned to make just a small appearance on this, the last ever DVD.

Then I read that she'd felt "violated as an actress" by the whole Buffy-Spike-Sex thing. So has SMG got big problems with Buffy and Joss Whedon ? Because you get the sense that she's pretty dismissive of the series that allowed her to spread her wings and make such commentary-worthy films as, er . . . SCOOBY DOO.
 

Joshua_W

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If I recall correctly, SMG wasn't at the wrap party because she had to start filming Scooby Doo 2 immediately after the series ended. That's the story, anyway.

That she's reluctant to promote the show is nothing new, so you rarely see her discuss the series on talk shows or DVD supplements.

I've read magazine interviews with her where she talks about the show, and she doesn't come off as being bitter about the series or Joss.
 

Eric_B_C

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She got all uppity anyway. Somehow thinks she's a big name actress off the back of Buffy, whereas most people I know can't stand her. (I for one watched Buffy for Spike, Xander, Willow... pretty much everyone except SMG as she annoys me.)

From what I gather she just wants to move on.

Seems weird for her to be missing from the extras though. Maybe she wanted too much money.
 

Adam_ME

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The only extra she's appeared in was the "Television With a Bite" documentary on the Season 6 set. Thankfully, the entire cast of Angel is more than happy to appear in the supplements on that show's box sets. Although Charisma Carpenter is noticably absent from the Season 4 extras since she was off having a baby.
 

Eric_B_C

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Interesting. Wonder if Boreanaz will appear on the final season box of Angel? Since I know he's made it quite clear he's done and wants to move on.
 
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Henry - sadly, I think there's some truth in that. Watching the extras on S6 and S7, he does seem a little self-centred.
Everyone seems a bit complacent about S7, which got pretty sloppy towards the end, imo.

Certainly, if SMG felt "violated" that would suggest that things were not exactly rosey in the garden. And even if she was filming SCOOBY DOO 2, I don't believe she couldn't have found the time to do at least an interview for the S7 set.

Of course, there's always the chance that this will have changed by the time it gets to R1. I suspect you may end up with a better package.
 

Martin_C

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SMG is known to not do much press for the show anymore. She miraculously never shows up on the outtakes either. She's a brilliant actress, one of the best ouf our time (IMHO), but I seriously doubt she never makes mistakes. ;-)

Her not making it to the Wrap Up party isn't just a coincidence, there had to have been some friction backstage.

But I did read a fairly recent interview of hers and she spoke very fondly about the show, calling it "probably one of the best TV shows in history". I guess they just wouldn't pay her enough to sit down for the DVDs, which are probably tightly budgeted as it is.

It still doesn't change that she should take part in this. Or as Buffy would say: Ungrateful, much?
 

Tony Whalen

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Count me in as disappointed that SMG has had no presence on the DVDs.

I have yet to watch the extras on season 6 (learned the hard way not to watch extras until AFTER all the episodes) so I haven't seen who all is involved.

However, to date I've seen nothing from SMG, and a tiny smidgen from Alyson Hannigan. A tad more from "Giles" and "Xander", but not tons.

Honestly, the extra stuff is nice, but I would have liked to have heard more from the primary-players in the show. Especially SMG. Perhaps, as others have suggested, there are two forces at work here? 1) SMG wanting to move on. 2) Lack of budget for "participation fees" for the cast.

Either way, I gotta agree with Martin, who summed it up nicely. Ungrateful much?
 

Mikel_Cooperman

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I remember reading the Entertainment Weekly Article with her when Buffy was announced as ending it's run and she was very verbal about how she disliked Season 6(who can blame her?) and how she thought it was very unlike her character to do Spike at the Bronze while watching her friends.Joss disagreed with her of course.
I think it's too bad that she couldnt contribute a bit to the special features. This show did put her on the map after all.
 

Eric_B_C

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I don't think Whedon is a dick, though I'm basing that on the extras for Firefly as that's the only stuff I've heard with him. The overriding feeling there is of bitterness at being shafted by Fox (which is entirely understandable).

SMG not going to the wrap party? Seems a littly fishy to me. I mean this has been her "family" for seven years. Something amiss.
 

Zen Butler

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How about the fact that he is a genius going to his head? Hmm, I dont mind.

As to Sarah Michelle and Boreanaz wanting to move on. Think of the challenge this is going to be for the both of them, and most of the cast. I'd be spooked too. It's always interesting to see who prevails out of these long run series. I'm putting my money on SMG. Maybe not now but soon, she'll break out in some role, she's very talented. Amber Benson is very active also. Despite my love for Boreanaz and the Angel character, all I see is Hollywood Squares.
 

Deb Walsh

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I kind of remember reading that SMG was scheduled to start on Scooby 2 immediately after they finished shooting the final episode of Buffy, and it was known in advance that she wouldn't make the wrap party as a result. I could be wrong, but I can't blame her for wanting to be with her new husband and get that lengthy trip to Australia (I think?) out of the way before they started shooting S2. I suspect S2 was on her schedule more because Freddie Prinze Jr. is an avowed Scooby nut than because it was a great career move.

She did express a willingness to come back for Angel's finale, but was unable to make it back for the Buffy-centered episode because she was shooting a film in Japan. By the time she became available for the Angel finale, the script was already written, and Whedon went on record saying he didn't want to overshadow the Angel characters by bringing Buffy back for that particular episode. Which, having seen the episode now, I have to agree makes perfect sense.

And FYI, she was already an Emmy winner *before* Buffy premiered. Her career prospects were pretty decent at that point, with or without Buffy.

I already have the R2 season 7 box, but if there are more extras on the R1, I may spring for that. I'd originally intended to get both regions of all sets when the series first started coming out in the US, but that was pre-recession and pre-TV on DVD boom. Now there's just too much coming out that I want (gotta have it!), and not enough income to cover even a fraction of it. Ah well.
 

Eddy-C

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Canada. Its worth noting though, that Seth Green was also in the movie and he showed up at the Buffy wrap party. How big was his role in the movie, anyone know?
 

Jason Seaver

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A fair-sized supporting role; about half the screen-time of the leads. Still, it could just be who was shooting what on a given day.
 

John Berggren

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Having just finished season 6 for the first time, I'd have to say I agree with her on this count. It seemed very un-Buffy.
 

Robert Ringwald

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While it seems un-buffy... that's the whole point. She wasn't acting like her normal self... which was the point of the season...

You're supposed to be like "oh god... Buffy! What the hell are you doing!?" and realize that she's totally degrading herself.

SMG saying she felt degraded as an actress? Suck it up. It's called ACTING.
 

Zen Butler

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Robert, thank you for saying it. I had a whole spoilerized response but aborted, knowing everyone is in the midst of season 6. There is a point to the "un-Buffy" behavior. That's the brilliance of season 6.
 

Eric_B_C

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Without spoilers, yes, there's a VERY good reason for the behaviour of the character.

Incidentally, is there anything special on the DVD surrounding the musical episode? Just curious.
 

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