Bullies, Battles and 'Buffy'
Thu, Mar 22, 2001 10:58 AM PDT
by Kate O'Hare

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Today, Variety reports that UPN has joined the fray in pursuit of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the future of which on The WB has been the topic of speculation for months, with The WB reportedly not willing to ante up the kind of money for the show that producing studio 20th Century Fox wants.

"Buffy" principals have jumped into the mix, with star Sarah Michelle Gellar proclaiming -- and then somewhat backpedaling from -- her loyalty to The WB. In a New York Daily News story earlier this week, series creator Joss Whedon responded to comments by WB entertainment chief Jamie Kellner to Entertainment Weekly that the show was not The WB's top ratings draw and that it appealed mainly to teens.

Whedon took this as an insult and fired back zingers of his own, saying of Kellner's comments, "It doesn't breed love."

"Yes, yes, I did," Whedon says. "I said, 'Why is he mean to me? Why does he insult my show?'"

Well, why does he? "'You know, because he's a big bully, and I'm just a helpless kid. He took my lunch money."

Is it at all flattering to be the object of so much attention? "No," says Whedon. "I just want to make my show."

David Greenwalt, who is a consulting producer on "Buffy" and co-creator and executive producer, with Whedon, of "Buffy's" spin-off and Tuesday-night sked-mate "Angel," weighs in with, "I firmly believe that when all the dust settles, these two shows will still be on The WB, but we are ready for all possible alternatives."

"People have been saying a lot of things in the heat of battle here, and we've just had our little noses to the grindstone. 'Buffy' is the little show that could. 'Buffy' started with that silly title and flew under the radar and became quite critically acclaimed and did quite well also, financially."

"'Angel' is quite capable of standing on its own two feet. I absolutely believe that. It's a slightly different audience than 'Buffy,' although we retain many of the hardcore 'Buffy' fans. And 'Angel' is quite capable of anchoring a night if that has to happen, too."

"But I totally believe that come whatever happens after the strike, that you'll be seeing these two shows on Tuesday night on The WB."

Being on the same network and night has always allowed the shows to cross-pollinate. The next time that happens is on April 17, when vampire-with-a-soul Angel (David Boreanaz) comes up from Los Angeles to Buffy's hometown of Sunnydale to see his former lover following the death of her mother.

But if the two shows are separated, won't that torpedo the crossovers? "You'd lose the crossovers," says Whedon, "but we're kind of shying away from that anyway. We still do them every now and then, but 'Angel's' got to stand on its own two feet, and I think it does. It doesn't kill me. I prefer to have them together, but I believe they can both thrive on their own."

Much of the speculation has surrounded "Buffy" possibly going over to FOX network, where veteran TV producer Gail Berman, who is still listed as a executive producer on both "Angel" and "Buffy," is now entertainment chief.

"Believe me," says Greenwalt. "It's never going to be on the FOX network. People keep saying, thinking, Fox network. It's not going to be on the Fox network."

"Of course the mind goes there. Gail's our gal, and she's one of the absolute, original executive producers of 'Buffy.' She's responsible for a lot of stuff, but I don't see it going."

"That was my impression," says Whedon about Greenwalt's assertion, "but I can't say anything definite. This is a loop in which I am not."

"It was a big dust-up," Greenwalt continues, "a lot of ruffled feathers. But again, when this is all over, it'll be on the Frog. You watch. If I'm wrong, I'll call ya. I'll mea culpa."