"Angel has lost its bite. Rumour has it, the show will not be renewed."

Alexandra Gill can haul off and bite me. *smirk* I'd like to learn where she gets her rumors. My guess is she makes them up. I do agree that Anne Rice's approach to vampirism has grown a bit tired and stale. But that's for me. I'm sure others still find her efforts breathtaking, and I'm happy for 'em. Whedon's efforts breathe new life into the concept. The concept of vampirism doesn't have to be cut and dried. It doesn't have to fit an ancient detail. Although there's some criteria it must keep and still fit the definition, modern, multi-faceted, deep and occasionally tongue in cheek approaches to the idea are just as valid.

Underground crashed and burned in the box office. $22 million is definitely nothing to write to your veterinarian about. The tv series Wolf Lake was horrendous and thankfully short-lived. I only wish someone had shot that horse dead sooner and put it out of its misery. Angelina Jolie's last few efforts have not been wholly remarkable critically or in the box office. Her stuff's okay, but she may have peaked.

This is not to say the werewolf metaphor is any more or less dead than the vampire one. Both are suitable devices to use, but only if done in an innovative and thought provoking way. Again I prefer Whedon's approach: to accept both as a given and work from there. I've always thought a spinoff series featuring Oz as the lead would have worked. I still do. Not because werewolves are the new vampires. That's ludicrous. Because there's a story there to tell. The story is everything.

[ edited by ZachsMind on 2004-01-30 19:34 ]

ZachsMind | January 30, 21:27 CET

I was just about to paste that quote! Funny how the reporter seems to have ignored the fact that the show has had higher ratings, and the WB are currently saying positive things about it (though Sci-Fi said positive things about Farscape right up until they killed it (that didn't have the high ratings though)). And in this world where vampires are no longer as popular, another show about vampires was commisioned a few weeks back (can't remember the name), yet no shows about were-wolves.
Movies recently released starring were-wolves, also star vampires, Underworld, Van Helsing, Willy the Wily Were-wolf And His Vampire Chums (wait a minute, that was my script, Universal said they were gonna go for some stupid western in space instead).
Sometimes you really wonder where reporters get these ideas from. I cant really see Goths ditching the fangs and running around with dog hair stuck all over them.

Ghost Spike | January 30, 21:29 CET

Maybe the WB started this rumour after seeing what effect the threat of cancelation has on the sheer quality of Joss Whedon's shows. Just take Out of Gas, Ariel, War Stories or Objects in Space for example :)

Yorky | January 30, 21:33 CET

Mummies are where it's at, man. Hasn't anyone seen Bubba Ho-Tep? Brilliant :)

Robo-Ritter | January 30, 23:03 CET

The thing that strike me as being high on the weird-o meter about this article is "Werewolves...They're into nature and saving the environment."

Jigga-wha?

And when I see the phrase "neutered vampire lover" in print, it makes me feel sorry for the Spikester.

miss_tress | January 30, 23:17 CET

Werewolves are also so very Canadian.

I think someone is forgetting Forever Knight.

bookrats | January 31, 00:39 CET

I hate it when a reviewer makes a comment like "Angel has lost its bite," making it seem as though this is a fact that everyone agrees with. This is turning out to be my favorite year of Angel since season 2, which it will most certainly surpass if it stays on its current streak of excellence.

I will agree that as far as films go, werewolves have been winning the battle in the quality realm. Recent movies like Ginger Snaps (soooo upset that the sequel opens today only in Canada! Arrgh!) and Dog Soldiers were amazing werewolf flicks, whereas I can't think of a breathtaking vampire movie since Interview With The Vampire. But we all know that both legends will live on, therefore making this article completely pointless.

MindPieces | January 31, 00:49 CET

Underworld, a sexy film about a centuries-old blood feud between vampires and werewolves, rose out of nowhere to bury its competitors at the box office last fall, making $22-million (U.S.) in the first weekend alone...So successful was the film, Sony Pictures is turning it into a trilogy.

Well I sure hope the next ones are better written because yeah, Underworld was pretty and had great special effects but man did the dialogue and storyline suck. I was disappointed.

Oh, and personally, vampires will always be intriguing. It's the fascination with immortality, of no longer needing to live by the rules of society. Vampires represent being special, powerful, and young forever. Doesn't everyone want to live forever?

And werewolves are too hairy. Blech. No offense, Oz.

[ edited by electricspacegirl on 2004-01-31 00:52 ]

electricspacegirl | January 31, 02:07 CET

I cant really see Goths ditching the fangs and running around with dog hair stuck all over them.

Funny, Ghost Spike!

electricspacegirl | January 31, 02:12 CET

One of the things to keep in mind is this article is a sidebar to a review of "Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed" (which I just saw, and it's a pretty good horror movie, no camp, very unsettling and as good as the first - which is very rare for horror sequels).

Obviously, her theme of werewolves are the new black or whatever in movies doesn't have a lot to draw upon with credibility. It's also obvious she doesn't watch Angel, or she would have mentioned "Unleashed". Also Angel is broadcast in Canada on a patchwork of Canwest and CHUM stations, so a local station can easily decide not to renew it up for broadcast, which might explain the "rumours" -- Ms. Gill is out of Vancouver. As an example, "Angel" isn't aired in Toronto, it is only available on cable.

braingarage | January 31, 02:30 CET

I, for one don't agree with this article at all! Vampires are much more interesting than werewolves will ever be in my mind. They're mysterious, and there's still plenty more stories to tell about them in the Whedonverse alone. Can't say the same thing about werewolves, they're just not as fascinating.

talented_bink | January 31, 08:17 CET

I think there's a disconnection with the werewolf versus the person inside, and that's why I personally feel the vampire to be more interesting. When a werewolf 'wolves out', there's nothing but animal and rage. They typically don't even remember that side of themselves. But when a vampire's doing his/her thing, there's still attitude and variations among each vamp. There's far more personality on the vampire's side.

I find the fascination with werewolves is actually in the struggle for the person to find balance or control in both lives. -- Wait... didn't our slaying heroine have to deal with the same issues?

With that said, I still think werewolf stories can be really well done. Just look at Oz's story, for example. And I, too, loved Ginger Snaps... I can't wait to see either sequel. And if done correctly, I'd love to see the proposed Teen Wolf series. There's certainly potential there.

But werewolves surpassing the fandom of vampires? I don't think so.

Greyflowers | January 31, 10:16 CET

Well I'm from Vancouver and I sure hope that the New VI, which is the station that airs Angel, isn't about to cancel it. As for werewolves being Canadian, that's the first I've heard of it. Does Wolverine from X-Men count? Not quite a werewolf, but close ... lots of people don't know what wolverines are anyway. David Hayter, who wrote the X-Men screenplay, is also an acquaintance of mine--he spent many years in Canada as a kid. Does that count? Stretching, but so is Alexandra Gill with her weak connections between Canadians and werewolves.

Regarding Anne Rice being sick of her vampires--so am I! "Interview" and "Lestat" were pretty good, but I haven't read a decent book about vampires from her since. Rice might be tired of the metaphor, but vampires can serve as a metaphorical vehicle for more than one meaning; she's likely written herself into her own grave.

Lastly, anyone who's been following Angel knows we're getting an arc with a bang. Gill's been listening to Joss without realizing that he's evil.

A good werewolf book: Robert McCammon's "Wolf's Hour". (I think that's the name of it.). The werewolf takes on the Nazis!

Damned Spot | January 31, 10:57 CET

Odd piece. Not placing any stock in it.

And an exceptionally tenuous tie to the Dark Tower masterpiece of Stephen King.

meredith | February 01, 00:55 CET

Speaking of Canadian werewolves - try reading "Bitten" and "Stolen" by Kelly Armstrong.

redfern | February 02, 02:52 CET