That Ripper TV series idea sounds wonderfully depressing. A sad, lonely Giles with no real reason to be. Please let it happen, gods.

Jobo | June 02, 09:55 CET

That sounds fantastic. Always loved the ghost stuff on Buffy and Angel - just watched Conversations With Dead People again so the First haunting Dawn is fresh in my mind. Hoping for a long, long Dollhouse, but if that falls through I hope Ripper sees the light of day somehow.

I'd always assumed that Ripper would be set after Buffy - when she no longer needs Giles so he's back in England - but I read the other day that it would be set before the series, hence the use of the nickname. Anyone know if Joss had a change of heart?

ThorpeWithoutShrimp | June 02, 10:21 CET

That would of course be awesome. But I guess it's there with Btas, the Spike Tv-movie and other Buffy spin-offs, it should have been made but hoping for it seems more and more pointless.

Léo | June 02, 10:27 CET

Oh, lookit the flying piggies!

Caroline | June 02, 10:34 CET

I refuse to give up hope for this one. It's certainly more plausible than bringing Firefly back....

vampmogs | June 02, 10:49 CET

I've always envisioned it as current Giles, flashing black to why he's called Ripper. If I were to guess why its apparently pre-Buffy now, its because Giles is in use for Season Eight.

Anyway, If Joss focused on making B:TAS, I'm sure it could happen.

Jayme | June 02, 10:50 CET

The first sentence in the article is kinda misleading. They're not 'still' discussing it. They were discussing it over a year ago

But I guess it's there with Btas, the Spike Tv-movie and other Buffy spin-offs, it should have been made but hoping for it seems more and more pointless.

I dunno, it has seemed much closer to being made than those other things. Joss even announced that it would be made a while back. And he actually wrote a story

I'm still holding out hope. Unlike a story about Spike, for example, there's no hurry. They could make this years down the track when Dollhouse has finished

Or even sooner. Joss had 3 shows on air at one point. He's probably not mad enough to do that again. But I don't think it's impossible for him to fly over to England to film a Ripper movie (or even a 6 part series) while Dollhouse is on. I think it could happen once Joss had a good handle on Dollhouse and has a team of writers he completely trusts to take over for a little while

In fact, just recently Joss said he still wanted to do something with ASH for the BBC but it might not be Ripper. So it can't be that it's impossible to do while Dollhouse is on the air. It seems the biggest hurdle to cross is the rights issue. I have absolutely no idea what the situation is there but ASH does seem to imply that it's ultimately up to Joss whether he wants to make Ripper or not

So I'll be crossing my fingers for the next ten years or so. They're going to get sore

[ edited by Let Down on 2009-06-02 12:47 ]

Let Down | June 02, 10:55 CET

Jayme, the article doesn't say it's pre-Buffy.

Let Down | June 02, 10:57 CET

I still think the nearest thing we're going to get is "Strange" starring Richard Coyle and Sam Janus. And that wasn't bad. certainly way better than other Buffy rip off's like Hex and Demons.

zz9 | June 02, 12:21 CET

I always thought they should have explore more of Gile's dark side during buffy.. he just killed Ben, and then they never really followed that character development up later on in the series in any meaningful way.

I hope the show happens one day... get Anthony Stewart Head out of that horrible show Merlin.

mortimer | June 02, 12:48 CET

Could they de-Giles it? A Joss script about a lonely man in England who investigates the paranormal starring Anthony Head. Sounds excellent whether there's a Buffy tie-in or not.

Were it an original character, they wouldn't have to worry about other (Kuzui) things.

redeem147 | June 02, 13:10 CET

Let Down: Ah, Sorry...

Jayme | June 02, 13:11 CET

Ripper still possible? Must be Tuesday.

library hooligan | June 02, 13:21 CET

Ahhh yes, Ripper. He who ravages mothers on the hoods of police cars...

I always thought of it as an AFTER series, with easily accessible flashbacks.

Archduke Sebassis | June 02, 13:33 CET

mortimer: was that meant to be a character development or a character revelation, though? I took it to be showing us that Giles wasn't just a cuddly old avuncular librarian; he was also a watcher and could be a pretty ruthless bastard when it was called for. It was exactly the same when he conspired to kill Spike with Wood in season seven.

dzr | June 02, 13:48 CET

vampmogs said:



*puts fingers in ears* La la laaa!

ceo | June 02, 13:49 CET

Every year I see stuff about this, and every year I get a little less excited. I want it, but at a point doesn't reality have to become a part of it?

ChampBlankman | June 02, 14:18 CET

In Ripper season 2, he takes on a neighborhood kid and teaches them karate.

And aside from that snark brought on by the endless tease that is Ripper; I too would be thrilled to watch a Ripper show, debate plot points here in The Black, buy the dvd's, download the itunes files and attend a Ripper musical sing-along.

alexreager | June 02, 15:26 CET

I really hope this post becomes a yearly tradition..until if finally finally happens.

the FAT indian | June 02, 16:39 CET

Which happens first, Firefly returning or Ripper going forward?

tinktanker | June 02, 16:39 CET

Did the poster mean to say "obligated" not obliged?

luv4whedon | June 02, 17:10 CET

Dear Joss Whedon,

Please make Reaper, and the Spike TV movie you wanted to do also.

May I also politely request David Boreanaz comes back as Angel, even in a cameo for either project.

I want to see the Buffy/Angel characters on screen again. The needs of the one, outweight the needs of the many. Sorry wrong franchise!

Oh and whilst you're at it, a sequel to Serenity would be nice.

PS - Dollhouse didn't suck; in the end it rocked!

PPS - I love you... platonically of course you strawberry blonde bearded genius :)

PPPS - You know I wouldn't write this if, as a fan, I didn't feel obligated to make demands ;)

The Host | June 02, 19:00 CET

We're obliged to run this headline every year.

And every year my hearts breaks a little more. (sad face)

lycoming | June 02, 19:40 CET

Shame that the show will never get made, it sounds awesome.

On a side note, Tony Head looks awesome and scary as hell as Uther Pendragon.

SteppeMerc | June 02, 19:46 CET

I find reality to be an over-rated criterion.

Maybe we should try to come to a consensus of what we'd like to see most and send Joss a petition letter saying what we'd like next time he vistis the Buffyverse. (Spook Squad would be easy to cast; just get any 4 or 5 actors whose characters he bumped off over 12 seasons, there's lots of 'em.)

DaddyCatALSO | June 02, 20:05 CET

luv4whedon : Did the poster mean to say "obligated" not obliged?

Obliged works just fine.

Additionally, Simon is a Brit - a funny, snarky, Brit-Git - and that is the kindof thing he would say. Coincidentally, he did.

QuoterGal | June 02, 20:30 CET

Man that would be sweet! I hope it comes true.

zee | June 02, 23:14 CET

He has a name!

Simon | June 02, 23:22 CET

I would love to see this. I know it seems less likely as time goes by but I am holding out hope that one day it goes forward. Must see Giles again!

silent knight | June 03, 00:03 CET

He does? ;)

korkster | June 03, 00:47 CET

Eight years (by the way, how much did someone slip you to post this Simon?). Better do something soon or it will be sad, lonely, old Giles in the rest home. Well, look what they did with sad, lonely, old Elvis in Bubba Ho-Tep, so I guess anything is possible.

[ edited by Tonya J on 2009-06-03 04:03 ]

Tonya J | June 03, 03:11 CET

The thing that gets me is that the concept of Ripper is so what the movie Constantine should have been - but seeing as they took that in such a...catholic...direction away from the comic there's a huge opportunity for a British enunciating, world weary, arse kicking (and in that order) bastard to fill the gap. A gap spelled r.i.p

(Ok p.e.r too, I'ma just riffing)

giles (yes, it is my real name) | June 03, 04:01 CET

"it's fascinating, lovely, sad, and it's classic Joss Whedon. "
I want to read this! I want to see Tony Head in it but if it isn't possible, then Joss please do a Minear "Moon is a Harsh Mistress" for it!

Lioness | June 03, 04:04 CET

Tonya J: Giles is at most Tony's age. Tony is less than 2 years older than I am. Or, to sum up my reaction in one word, a-HEM! :-)

DaddyCatALSO | June 03, 13:27 CET

No need for being offended - I was actually picturing it finally happening like 20 years from now.

Tonya J | June 03, 13:47 CET