Why Spike Wasn't The Doctor.
I've been internet-less all morning, but in between sorting out children etc I found time to polish off this post.
It's not very interesting, really, since all I'm saying is that Spike isn't The Doctor (in 'As You Were' if anyone's wondering). I never thought so, not even back when I first saw the show and didn’t know about the fandom discussions.
Anyway, here’s my arguments. Based quite simply on what we see on screen and what we know of the characters:
- Spike has many good qualities, but he isn’t a very good organiser. He was obviously fine with having minions, but he bashed them over the head if they disagreed - not much of a negotiator. He doesn't even have a phone. I'll never buy that suddenly he's an international arms-dealer. It’s pretty much the last thing Spike would ever consider (just above becoming a ballerina), and I also will not believe that Doug Petrie, Riley crush or not, would suddenly alter Spike’s character so much - especially since he did so much to build him up in the first place in FFL. Added to that, it’s never mentioned again, and international armsdealers don’t just quit because one deal falls through. Also - when did Spike ever have much money? He fixed up his crypt, yes, but he did that before Buffy was resurrected and we saw him scavenging for furniture as far back as ‘The Replacement’ (5.03). Also - contacts in the demon world? Apart from the occasional poker game, and killing some for fun, he’s never shown to interact with anyone except Clem, and he hasn’t exactly inspired respect in anyone for years! Not to mention that this dealer is apparently talking to foreign military powers... no, I’ll never buy that Spike’s the Doctor!
- Now, what I will buy however, is someone (not identifying himself) asking Spike to store the eggs for a neat sum of money, and him happily agreeing (without even finding out how to look after them!). Easy cash, won’t interfere with his life at all. (Another point is that Riley says that this dealer ‘is in town’. This implies a temporary stay, not a long term dweller.)
- Also, Spike is emotions-driven. He has never showed any interest in money or power before. Quick easy cash - yes. Boardroom stuff - no. See he has shown himself to be capable enough in the past (Drusilla's cure, the Gem of Amarra) when there's reason to be - if he *was* The Doctor he'd suddenly have lost all the competance he once had!
- Lastly, but most importantly, he's a terrible liar. Buffy walks into his crypt and asks him if he knows who The Doctor is. There is no reaction - all he's focussed on is Buffy. If he truly was The Doctor, he'd fib and get her out of there asap, not make love to her on top of the evidence (he's thick sometimes, but not even he is that dumb!) Trust me, I watched this bit especially and there’s nothing. Not a flicker. I even checked the shooting script and there’s nothing. And since Petrie also directed we can assume he knew what he was doing (you know what I mean - he was obviously insane or something when he wrote this, but he was still capable of putting across what he wanted).
Later when Riley later calls him ‘Doctor’, Spike just smiles without a hint of worry. He obviously has no idea who this Doctor guy is. But - the second the eggs are mentioned, he's stuttering and covering up as badly as Buffy did at the beginning of the episode re. the grass-stains. His eyes involuntarily go to the hole leading downstairs and his whole demeanor changes. (Incidentally, that bit isn’t in the original script - it must have been added to show more clearly what we’re seeing).
So, what's the deal? Basically, it's entirely plausible that Riley (and a team?) spent the good while between sending Buffy and Sam off together and finding Buffy at Spike's, finding and taking out The Doctor and making him disclose the location of the eggs. (Because - where was Riley? Why did he turn up at Spike’s knowing the eggs were there? There is a large chunk of time missing. And if Spike really was an international armsdealer, I doubt the army would let him go just because he happened to be sleeping with a Riley’s ex. I’m just sayin’!)
So, Riley goes to Spike's crypt (suitably irate) and what does he find? A nightmare come true. And Spike (being Spike) is gloating like an idiot, basically continuing their conversation from 'Into the Woods'.
Spike was effectively the one who broke up Buffy and Riley (pointing out Riley’s sins), and now Riley has the opportunity to return the favour. So he twists the truth a tiny bit (and Riley's a good liar, it's part of his job): He says that Spike is The Doctor. And of course Buffy believes him... I mean wouldn’t you if you had the choice between Spike (evil) and Riley (trustworthy soldier)? (Don’t bother answering that.)
So what we see is Riley’s revenge. (At least that's my take - I've added another possibility further down.)
I also want to point out that this in no way affects the breakup at the end. Buffy might even have worked out that Spike wasn’t the big guy. It doesn’t matter. It was just Spike being Spike - doing ‘evil’ stuff (hiding demon eggs is never a good thing, neither is murdering people for more than a century...) - simply put it was a wake up call. But... she doesn’t break up with him because of the demon eggs - but because seeing him is ‘killing her’. (But that is another topic.)
It’s still an idiotic episode, the suvolte demons are an affront to any person in possession of a brain, and the last scene with Riley and Buffy make me want to slap him. It’s the only episode of Buffy that I really dislike and would change if I could. [/end rant] I wrote this quite simply to point out what I always considered obvious.
(If someone reads this who happens to dislike Spike, can I just point out that I’m not trying to make him look good? As a matter of fact I’m demoting him from ‘Big Shot Dealer’, to ‘Pathetic Loser in The Doctor’s Pay’. Call it fanwank if you must, but don’t start shouting at me.)
Later addition: There is another option re. Riley. One where he is Prince Charming for the day, saving Buffy and being the great hero and inspirer. Lets say he goes to Willy's and someone (deliberately?) lets him know that Spike has all these eggs at his crypt. Riley in true Action Hero mode storms off to confront Spike ("I shall undo his dastardly plot!") and is all in all exactly the same straightforward guy we met back in S4 - and his speech at the end can be taken at face value and we can pat him on the back and thank him for being such a swell guy who can show Buffy how amazing she still is.
But... I have a BIG problem with this interpretation. The end result is the same anyway (Buffy breaks up with Spike for pretty much the same reasons she broke up with Angel in 'Lovers Walk' - "What I want from you I can never have...") - but with Riley as Mr Nice Guy the whole thing is painfully simplistic. Yes there are simple episodes in S6 (DMP to name one), but they are usually selfcontained eps, dealing with one thing and wrapping it up (Buffy gets a job). AYW is when Buffy stops seeing Spike, the end of a fascinatingly complex and mutually damaging relationship... and why? Because of some idiotic demon eggs and Buffy remembering that Spike was eeevil (not that she holds it against him, but she finds the strength to say no to his wicked charms thanks to a pep talk from Captain Cardboard).
It's like IWMTLY with Riley as April. Execpt April was cuter. (How can Riley be Prince Charming when he isn't charming? Well except to Buffy. Usually I have no problems feeling what Buffy feels - in AYW I do. A lot. Riley just doesn't do it for me, and I think he's meant to. Stupid Petrie.)
So again - what is an episode as *important* as this one doing, being as simple as one from S1? In S6 which is all about the character's past deeds coming back to haunt them, about people's flaws making them behave very badly indeed, about choices and consequences... it doesn't fit! If it really is that simple and is meant to be, then I just have to write off Dough Petrie's good episodes as lucky flukes (and getting *a lot* help). So to make AYW sit comfortably amongst its fellow episodes and carry the same themes, I *have* find layers. More than just the whole thing being seen though Buffy's star-struck eyes.
And this is where Riley gets to be Machiavelli. And where Spike's role in breaking up Buffy and Riley comes back to bite him. Hard. No one knew about the vamp-ho's, as far as we can tell. Giles might have guessed, but I'm as certain as I can be that Buffy never told her friends. But Spike found out, and Spike used his information to humiliate Riley and Riley almost staked him because of it - he figured out (*way* before anyone else) that Spike was in love with Buffy - he could recognise a rival. He couldn't think of anything better than the plastic stake back then (which was kinda pathetic, seriously). But here in AYW he has the most shining opportunity when he walks in on the two of them... it's beautiful and simple and will accomplish many things at the same time. He'll say that Spike is The Doctor - it should hopefully shock Buffy so much that she'll stop seeing him. And then Spike would be without Buffy, just like Riley was. And then Buffy can find someone else, someone good enough for her - he makes darn sure to build her up as much as he can.
I don't think Riley is stupid - he majored in Psychology if I recall correctly. I think he knows exactly what he's doing in AYW, and he does it well. But he isn't Prince Charming. At least I sincerely hope not.
The problem being, that I don't know which option I'm supposed to be seeing - and that is all due to bad writing!
ETA: If you want an in-depth, detailed and complex theory, go read this post by theohara (whom I've borrowed a lot of points from btw).
ETA2: Also check out jonesiexxx's post about AYW looking at it from Buffy's POV!
It's not very interesting, really, since all I'm saying is that Spike isn't The Doctor (in 'As You Were' if anyone's wondering). I never thought so, not even back when I first saw the show and didn’t know about the fandom discussions.
Anyway, here’s my arguments. Based quite simply on what we see on screen and what we know of the characters:
- Spike has many good qualities, but he isn’t a very good organiser. He was obviously fine with having minions, but he bashed them over the head if they disagreed - not much of a negotiator. He doesn't even have a phone. I'll never buy that suddenly he's an international arms-dealer. It’s pretty much the last thing Spike would ever consider (just above becoming a ballerina), and I also will not believe that Doug Petrie, Riley crush or not, would suddenly alter Spike’s character so much - especially since he did so much to build him up in the first place in FFL. Added to that, it’s never mentioned again, and international armsdealers don’t just quit because one deal falls through. Also - when did Spike ever have much money? He fixed up his crypt, yes, but he did that before Buffy was resurrected and we saw him scavenging for furniture as far back as ‘The Replacement’ (5.03). Also - contacts in the demon world? Apart from the occasional poker game, and killing some for fun, he’s never shown to interact with anyone except Clem, and he hasn’t exactly inspired respect in anyone for years! Not to mention that this dealer is apparently talking to foreign military powers... no, I’ll never buy that Spike’s the Doctor!
- Now, what I will buy however, is someone (not identifying himself) asking Spike to store the eggs for a neat sum of money, and him happily agreeing (without even finding out how to look after them!). Easy cash, won’t interfere with his life at all. (Another point is that Riley says that this dealer ‘is in town’. This implies a temporary stay, not a long term dweller.)
- Also, Spike is emotions-driven. He has never showed any interest in money or power before. Quick easy cash - yes. Boardroom stuff - no. See he has shown himself to be capable enough in the past (Drusilla's cure, the Gem of Amarra) when there's reason to be - if he *was* The Doctor he'd suddenly have lost all the competance he once had!
- Lastly, but most importantly, he's a terrible liar. Buffy walks into his crypt and asks him if he knows who The Doctor is. There is no reaction - all he's focussed on is Buffy. If he truly was The Doctor, he'd fib and get her out of there asap, not make love to her on top of the evidence (he's thick sometimes, but not even he is that dumb!) Trust me, I watched this bit especially and there’s nothing. Not a flicker. I even checked the shooting script and there’s nothing. And since Petrie also directed we can assume he knew what he was doing (you know what I mean - he was obviously insane or something when he wrote this, but he was still capable of putting across what he wanted).
Later when Riley later calls him ‘Doctor’, Spike just smiles without a hint of worry. He obviously has no idea who this Doctor guy is. But - the second the eggs are mentioned, he's stuttering and covering up as badly as Buffy did at the beginning of the episode re. the grass-stains. His eyes involuntarily go to the hole leading downstairs and his whole demeanor changes. (Incidentally, that bit isn’t in the original script - it must have been added to show more clearly what we’re seeing).
So, what's the deal? Basically, it's entirely plausible that Riley (and a team?) spent the good while between sending Buffy and Sam off together and finding Buffy at Spike's, finding and taking out The Doctor and making him disclose the location of the eggs. (Because - where was Riley? Why did he turn up at Spike’s knowing the eggs were there? There is a large chunk of time missing. And if Spike really was an international armsdealer, I doubt the army would let him go just because he happened to be sleeping with a Riley’s ex. I’m just sayin’!)
So, Riley goes to Spike's crypt (suitably irate) and what does he find? A nightmare come true. And Spike (being Spike) is gloating like an idiot, basically continuing their conversation from 'Into the Woods'.
Spike was effectively the one who broke up Buffy and Riley (pointing out Riley’s sins), and now Riley has the opportunity to return the favour. So he twists the truth a tiny bit (and Riley's a good liar, it's part of his job): He says that Spike is The Doctor. And of course Buffy believes him... I mean wouldn’t you if you had the choice between Spike (evil) and Riley (trustworthy soldier)? (Don’t bother answering that.)
So what we see is Riley’s revenge. (At least that's my take - I've added another possibility further down.)
I also want to point out that this in no way affects the breakup at the end. Buffy might even have worked out that Spike wasn’t the big guy. It doesn’t matter. It was just Spike being Spike - doing ‘evil’ stuff (hiding demon eggs is never a good thing, neither is murdering people for more than a century...) - simply put it was a wake up call. But... she doesn’t break up with him because of the demon eggs - but because seeing him is ‘killing her’. (But that is another topic.)
It’s still an idiotic episode, the suvolte demons are an affront to any person in possession of a brain, and the last scene with Riley and Buffy make me want to slap him. It’s the only episode of Buffy that I really dislike and would change if I could. [/end rant] I wrote this quite simply to point out what I always considered obvious.
(If someone reads this who happens to dislike Spike, can I just point out that I’m not trying to make him look good? As a matter of fact I’m demoting him from ‘Big Shot Dealer’, to ‘Pathetic Loser in The Doctor’s Pay’. Call it fanwank if you must, but don’t start shouting at me.)
Later addition: There is another option re. Riley. One where he is Prince Charming for the day, saving Buffy and being the great hero and inspirer. Lets say he goes to Willy's and someone (deliberately?) lets him know that Spike has all these eggs at his crypt. Riley in true Action Hero mode storms off to confront Spike ("I shall undo his dastardly plot!") and is all in all exactly the same straightforward guy we met back in S4 - and his speech at the end can be taken at face value and we can pat him on the back and thank him for being such a swell guy who can show Buffy how amazing she still is.
But... I have a BIG problem with this interpretation. The end result is the same anyway (Buffy breaks up with Spike for pretty much the same reasons she broke up with Angel in 'Lovers Walk' - "What I want from you I can never have...") - but with Riley as Mr Nice Guy the whole thing is painfully simplistic. Yes there are simple episodes in S6 (DMP to name one), but they are usually selfcontained eps, dealing with one thing and wrapping it up (Buffy gets a job). AYW is when Buffy stops seeing Spike, the end of a fascinatingly complex and mutually damaging relationship... and why? Because of some idiotic demon eggs and Buffy remembering that Spike was eeevil (not that she holds it against him, but she finds the strength to say no to his wicked charms thanks to a pep talk from Captain Cardboard).
It's like IWMTLY with Riley as April. Execpt April was cuter. (How can Riley be Prince Charming when he isn't charming? Well except to Buffy. Usually I have no problems feeling what Buffy feels - in AYW I do. A lot. Riley just doesn't do it for me, and I think he's meant to. Stupid Petrie.)
So again - what is an episode as *important* as this one doing, being as simple as one from S1? In S6 which is all about the character's past deeds coming back to haunt them, about people's flaws making them behave very badly indeed, about choices and consequences... it doesn't fit! If it really is that simple and is meant to be, then I just have to write off Dough Petrie's good episodes as lucky flukes (and getting *a lot* help). So to make AYW sit comfortably amongst its fellow episodes and carry the same themes, I *have* find layers. More than just the whole thing being seen though Buffy's star-struck eyes.
And this is where Riley gets to be Machiavelli. And where Spike's role in breaking up Buffy and Riley comes back to bite him. Hard. No one knew about the vamp-ho's, as far as we can tell. Giles might have guessed, but I'm as certain as I can be that Buffy never told her friends. But Spike found out, and Spike used his information to humiliate Riley and Riley almost staked him because of it - he figured out (*way* before anyone else) that Spike was in love with Buffy - he could recognise a rival. He couldn't think of anything better than the plastic stake back then (which was kinda pathetic, seriously). But here in AYW he has the most shining opportunity when he walks in on the two of them... it's beautiful and simple and will accomplish many things at the same time. He'll say that Spike is The Doctor - it should hopefully shock Buffy so much that she'll stop seeing him. And then Spike would be without Buffy, just like Riley was. And then Buffy can find someone else, someone good enough for her - he makes darn sure to build her up as much as he can.
I don't think Riley is stupid - he majored in Psychology if I recall correctly. I think he knows exactly what he's doing in AYW, and he does it well. But he isn't Prince Charming. At least I sincerely hope not.
The problem being, that I don't know which option I'm supposed to be seeing - and that is all due to bad writing!
ETA: If you want an in-depth, detailed and complex theory, go read this post by theohara (whom I've borrowed a lot of points from btw).
ETA2: Also check out jonesiexxx's post about AYW looking at it from Buffy's POV!