James doesn't deserve anything more than J. August or Andy do this season. Amy on the other hand, yes. She's just.. amazing but I don't think this year has been Spike's best. He could have been used for great things but just came out filler to me.

Christopher | June 01, 14:55 CET

Amy has been outstanding this season. Especially when she played Illyria pretending to be Fred. Very chilling. She's been a revelation.

Simon | June 01, 14:59 CET

Amy has been brilliant this year, how well she changed characters, the voice, the movements, Illyria moves completely different from Fred, it's amazing that Amy put so much thought into it. The best example was definitely in "The Girl In Question" where one minute she was speaking in Fred's body, but Illyria's voice to Wesley, then the next she was all Fred to her parents. Her transformation into Fred over Wesley's dying body at the end was good too.

The line "I wish to do more violence" is definitely one of the best lines of the year.

Ghost Spike | June 01, 15:06 CET

There's no doubt that Amy Acker deserves an Emmy nomination for her work this year. I certainly hope that Mutant Enemy puts her name forward in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role (drama) category, and used "The Girl in Question" for voters to see.

While I think that James Marsters is one of the best actors out there, for this past season, I'd have to pick Alexis Denisof to be nominated.

barbara | June 01, 15:19 CET

It's funny how in a show that had beheadings, human sacrifice, demons, blood and guts, etc. - the creepiest moment was when a tiny woman changed the look in her eyes as she dropped the Fred persona and became Illyria again.

prufrock | June 01, 15:38 CET

While I think that James Marsters is one of the best actors out there, for this past season, I'd have to pick Alexis Denisof to be nominated.

Hear, hear! And I so want Amy to get an Emmy for this role. I cannot believe how stunning and alien, how pained and haunted she made the character of Illyria. But what astounds me even more is how quickly so many fans fell in love with her. I honestly expected a lot of hate toward Illyria because she (technically) killed Fred. And you know what, I don't think I've heard/read any hate about her. Well, except for TWOP but I can never tell if they even like the show itself, much less one character. So I won't count that.

Everybody loves Illyria!

What does it take for a small show on an ignored network to be noticed by the Emmys?

electricspacegirl | June 01, 16:48 CET

It's funny how in a show that had beheadings, human sacrifice, demons, blood and guts, etc. - the creepiest moment was when a tiny woman changed the look in her eyes as she dropped the Fred persona and became Illyria again.

This could not be said better. Amy really deserves a nomination.

And I agree with those who say that Alexis Denisof is the guy who should be nominated. I don't think this was Marsters' year -- I think Spike was really a ghost of himself *smile* the entire year. The fault was not all JM's -- although the fluctuations in the accent were annoying -- but I think he and the writers struggled to "find" Spike in the new context. AD, on the other hand, has shown great depth and nuance in his portrayal of Wesley. He deserved an award for earlier seasons -- this year should be his year.

palehorse | June 01, 17:08 CET

The entire cast and crew deserves more attention from the Emmys then they ever have, or ever will, because this series is what television could be and should be in terms of storytelling quality. As for whether or not anyone who should get nominated will get nominated: don't hold your breath.

ZachsMind | June 01, 19:30 CET

Alexis deserves an Emmy, not only for this season but for what he has done with Wesley since S3 of Buffy.

And Amy likewise. It was easy to see "Fred" and not notice the acting, just assume that's what she was like in real life. But seeing Ilyria, and the transitions between the two, showed what she can do. And when she asked Wes if he wanted her to lie to him now, it was the first time Ilyria showed any feeling or emotion. Such a small gesture but the change in her voice, not pretending to be Fred but showing how she was feeling, was great.

zz9 | June 01, 19:48 CET

Can't believe we're discussing this all over again...Sarah and David deserved multiple Emmys...for supporting roles, Tony, Nick, Aly, Alexis, Andy, Amy all deserved at least one or two...and for original teleplays, you can't tell me that Hush or OMWF or The Body or Innocence or....well, you get my point.

Which is: the myopic bubbleheads who make these nominations simply can't comprehend what the Jossverse is and what it means.

Hence: any talk of awards for its denizens is pointless, mine included.

Chris in Virginia | June 01, 20:00 CET

And when she asked Wes if he wanted her to lie to him now, it was the first time Ilyria showed any feeling or emotion.

But I think Illyria was showing emotion the entire time. It was very subtle. (and might I say that it is this very subtlety that shows how much Amy Acker deserves an Emmy?) In "Shells" when she went to get her Army of Doom and saw that it had been destroyed, she stared at the ruins aghast and fell to her knees in anguish. I have a screencap of that shot saved to my computer and she looks like she's about to cry.

That feeling of loss stayed with her and sometimes I could really see it, like when she spoke to Wesley about his grief over losing Fred. The loss Illyria felt over losing her world, a world where she was feared and worshipped, and now suddenly she was stuck in a world where she was nothing, that stayed with her. But it was the times when she and Wesley would philosophize and wax poetic that it was strongest. And in exploring his grief and loss, Illyria's own grief and loss was mirrored back.

That's how I see what Illyria was going through anyway. You can tell I've been thinking about her a lot, huh? ;)

electricspacegirl | June 01, 20:11 CET

I agree with everyone Amy rocked this year. Her performance were mesmerising. James Marsters is the best actor among them IMO and he deserves an Emmy for his excellent work for 7 years but I agree this year isn't a *Spike* year and I find it natural that the writers had to find a new level to write the character. Spike's story in the first half of the season was just wrong but it got much better. His story is not up front because he's a newbie in AtS and it's ok (for the first year)

Alexis is an equally great actor, actually Marsters and Denisof were the best for me until this year. This year I didn't find Alexis that well until 'Shells' but somebody else was stealing the scenes from both Marsters and Denisof. Outshining them.

J.August Richards. Perfect performance. He made me love Gunn who never interested me before. If any guy deserves an Emmy for 'this year' that's JAR IMO.

pelinxf | June 01, 20:12 CET

I think Amy really deserves one. I mean, to go from a character like Fred to a character like Illyria and also somewhere in-between, all with complete believability ... Amy has real talent ... Emmy is calling!

buffelina | June 01, 20:39 CET

I also think that Alexis Denisoff deserves an emmy this year for his portrayal of Wesley and he always seems to get overlooked in how much he has done with Wesley's character. JM is wonderful and he has deserved many an emmy while on Buffy but just not for this season on Angel. AD also deserved recognition for the last couple of seasons as well. Spike and Wesley both were characters that have changed and involved in so many ways that just their stories alone were fascinating to watch.

Amy Acker was just brilliant this season as Illyria. I agree that as Fred she was sweet and enjoyable to watch but you really didn't even think of her as acting because she could've just been like that in real life but when she became Illyria - WOW - I'm still stunned by her performance. Even to the point that if Illyria had never come to be I might be okay with the end of Angel but because Illyria was introduced and she was so damn fascinating to watch and so interesting of a character to explore, I am wanting so much more! Illyria was so new and so exciting you just were anticipating what were they going to do with her next. Amy Acker, in my opinion, truly deserves an Emmy the most this season just because of how wonderfully she pulled off the abrupt character change. Wesely and Spike's characters gradually changed over the seasons but Amy went from one moment being Fred and then right into being Illyria. When she seamlessley switched from Illyria to Fred and back again without the Illyria costume you could truly distinguish who she was supposed to be and it was chilling. And yes, Illyria showed a lot of emotion before Wesley's death. I felt that scene in the temple was extremely full of emotion and her grief. And when Illyria spotted Fred's parents the look on her face was almost one of joy at seeing them. I truly felt that Illyria was also partly Fred and could feel some of Fred's emotions like they were her own. I think part of her transforming into Fred was for Wesley's benefit but it mostly was because of Fred's parents. She didn't want to hurt them.

I honestly can't wait for this season to come out on DVD because this is the season that you really need to watch without the long breaks between episodes and commercials to really get the full enjoyment out of it.

And one more comment, everyone in the Whedonverse deserve Emmys but Amy Ackers portrayal of Illyria/Fred was just so brilliant and unexpected that this year she truly deserves it over anyone else.

[ edited by blwessels on 2004-06-01 18:44 ]

Firefly Flanatic | June 01, 20:42 CET

I think James deserves an Emmy for Spike everytime I see him as"James". Speech pattern, accent, walk, body language...It's like two different people. Not many actors can do that.

Amy proved she COULD do it, though--and very well. I was impressed.

twiggy | June 01, 21:17 CET

Amy... YES! James... NOT SO MUCH!

nychick | June 01, 21:18 CET

"Not many actors can do that."

That's funny, cause that's basically their job.

Caroline | June 01, 21:41 CET

I also think that Illyria was harboring Fred's emotions. They hinted at the end of Shells when she replayed Fred's dying words. From that moment on I believed there was part of Fred in her, which, if what Amy once said in an interview was true, is how Joss probably would have explored bringing Fred back.

Oh, the Wesley death scene killed me. The first time I watched it I cried. I was spoiled (Grr) so I knew what was about to happen but the second Illyria asked Wesley, "Would you like me to lie to you now?" I braced myself, grabbed a pillow, and held it tight while the tears fell. I didn't stop crying until the scene was over.

Then after the episode I went online to write about it and when I wrote about Wesley I cried again. And then when they reran the finale I once again cried during that scene. And a few days later I read a transcript of the scene and cried some more.

I think that scene is just going to be my special sad scene. I was in love with Wesley so much, but it wasn't just his dying that did me in, it was Illyria's mourning, or her depiction of Fred's mourning, that hit it home. And how that scene was a complete mirror image to Fred's death scene.

It will probably be the death scene I remember and wallow in the most out of all the Buffyverse deaths. My poor sweet Fresley!

[ edited by electricspacegirl on 2004-06-02 02:57 ]

electricspacegirl | June 01, 21:50 CET

I agree that Ilyria had shown emotion, and that there was part of Fred in her. Her reason for decieving Freds parents was clearly a lie, she would not have had to put up with them moping at all, they would have gone home and that's it. She lied to them because she wanted to.
But I should have chosen a better word to describe her line as she held Wesley. It was the first time she didn't bother to hide her feelings. She dropped the act. That, to me, is why the tone of her voice changed. Either it was Freds feelings comming to the fore, or Ilyria feeling the same thing.
But as a guy of course I didn't cry. No sir...

Excuse me, I seem to have something in my eye. And it's the damm hay fever season here....

zz9 | June 02, 01:32 CET

"Not many actors can do that."

That's funny, cause that's basically their job.
Caroline | June 01, 19:41 CET


I stand behind what I say. If you watch most actors in character, the way they move or basic body language is similar to the person playing the part.

twiggy | June 02, 02:08 CET

I think the Emmys, Oscars and all those other awards are usually just a meaningless popularity or sentimentality contest. That doesn't mean I don't think the entire cast of "Angel" should be given some much deserved recognition for being a brilliant ensemble, I just think it's kind of cooler and anti-establishment if they don't.

bloodflowers | June 02, 03:15 CET

I could not agree more behind any nods for Amy. Any perfomances that were ignored for awards before were kind of overshadowed by all the great acting and writing alongside them (and then the utter dismissal of any recognition by the Emmys, of course.)

I dont think about the Emmys all that often, because I'm not a fan of lawyer and cop shows. But watching Amy this season was pretty much the first time I was so awed by someone's acting in a cult show that I thought they really had to ability to surpass that preconception that a show like Angel wouldnt be considered.

However, if she isnt, I wont be surprised.

And, I dont think James deserves an Emmy. That's not to say he's not a good actor, but I completely agree when people say this wasnt his year. His character the whole way through seemed tacked on, and inconsistant, especially with his accent. But generally, his portrayal of Spike is great. Not award winning, but certainly doing his job.

numbereleven | June 02, 03:53 CET

Amy really should get nominated. They way she moved from playing nerdy Fred, to bitchy Illyria was great! She did it so effortlessly. Whenever Illyria was on screen you almost forget that this is the same actress who played Fred. James...eh, he does good work, however, I liked him better on Buffy. Maybe it was beacuse he got more face time, but I did like his character more on Buffy. But if he did get an emmy for his work on Angel, I wouldn't protest. After playing a character for that long he shoudl get some major award to show for it. Almost every Buffy/Angel cast mate deserved an emmy nomination at one point or another. The buffyverse is a very difficult place to find one-note characters.

Gio | June 02, 05:05 CET

"I stand behind what I say. If you watch most actors in character, the way they move or basic body language is similar to the person playing the part."

I understood exacly what you meant in the first place and I absolutely agree!

It's subjective, ofcourse, but 97% of the time, it just seems I wouldn't be able to separate the actor from the character were it not from the name given. James Marsters takes separating that to a whole new level. Amy Acker did it with Illyria (don't know enough nor have I seen enough of her in real life to say as much for Fred), so I agree.

NirvanaPunk | June 04, 05:20 CET