Buffy 5x10 UNCUT Reaction
Added 2020-02-26 16:09:43 +0000 UTCGoodbye Riley??!
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Comments
This part of the season is so complex and subtle that it's hard to see through the subtext. On one hand, even though I hate what Riley did and he absolutely handled the situation terribly, he is right, Buffy did shut down, or shut him out or whatever. There were times when she was really distant, and seemed to open up to Spike more than him. Spike played on that, so it doesn't help. And there were times when she was secretive because of Dawn, but Riley took that to mean she was leaving him out of her life. The thing is, Buffy's distance makes sense and can't be blamed on her, because of what she's going through with both her mother and Dawn being the Key. But Riley doesn't know about Dawn, and Spike is twisting things, so he's not seeing them in perspective. Riley is too insecure for them to work, and that's what it was all about. While I love the concept of the vampire house, and I think it's a great little bit of worldbuilding, I have never totally understood Riley turning to that either. I'm in the same boat as you. It's always felt a little hamfisted and forced.
Raven Dark
2020-05-07 07:40:36 +0000 UTCI think Buffy loved Riley and care about him but I don't think she was really in love with him. Being with him was convenient for her, It was the easy choice. She had him whenever she wanted for whatever she wanted.
Irene Cuartas
2020-03-09 10:24:55 +0000 UTCThere's no way Buffy should have run after Riley!
Cheryl Coffin
2020-03-02 21:17:40 +0000 UTCThe problem is that I feel like the writers agreed with him... they were looking for the drama of Bangel, or felt that the audience was. And then they tried to provide it with the silly vampire-hooker plotline, and then they gave up. (I don't mind particularly that Riley didn't work out--I liked him all right, but I wish they'd given me a lot more time to warm up to him as a romantic lead before going all "I'd die for him!!!" on me in season 4--but I did find the writing of the end kind of tortuous.)
FernWithy
2020-03-02 06:27:43 +0000 UTCI felt the same way you did about Riley. I am probably in the minority of fans with my opinion of loving Buffy & Riley together, but Riley had some sort of childhood issue if he couldn't see that Buffy loved him. It wasn't an immature love that she had with Angel; it was real everyday commitment love and Riley, for whatever reason, couldn't feel it. That's Riley's own fault, not Buffy's.
Kitty
2020-02-27 10:49:50 +0000 UTC
