Hidden Depths
Doyle's death, Q's continuum, the CSM's name, and why we care.
      by Rachel Hyland

Who is that masked Mandalorian?

There's just something about them. Something indefinable, something indescribable. What the French call I don't know the hell what. When they are on screen for even a few brief shining moments, it makes the movie, episode or even the season worthwhile. At first they may be mere extras, loitering about the place and quite often looking pretty, but give them a little screen time and a line or two, and suddenly they have their own fan clubs, web shrines, and even TV series. They inspire fierce debate about their names, their hobbies, their favorite flavor of ice-cream. They cause a frenzy of fan fiction writing, as adorers attempt to create for them backstories, lives, loves, and heartaches. And while their creators treat them shabbily, cut off their body parts and make them not be in the series for weeks, months, even years at a time -- or, y'know, kill them -- we cling to the hope that they, too, could one day end up like others of their kind... in the credits.

Well, it's nice to dream.

Do you remember, at all, when first you realized that your favorite genre fare was not just about its stars? The first time that you looked at some incidental guy, girl, alien or robot and said to yourself, "hmmm... that character interests me strangely"? Perhaps it was Star Trek's under-used Uhura, or Star Wars' inscrutable Boba Fett. Perhaps it was even earlier than that; maybe you were one of the many who longed to learn more about the hat-dwelling HooDoo from H.R. Pufnstuf. Or maybe you were curious about the Oompa Loompas' mating rituals. For all I know you were fascinated by Mary Poppins' talking umbrella-head (as, now I think about it, am I. What did it think about being an umbrella-head? How did it get that way? Are there a whole race of umbrella-head people... the questions are endless.)

Spike: Lickability incarnate.

Be that as it may (was it a curse? An enchantment? What?), for all of us there are those genre characters who, while they may not begin as an essential part of the storyline, soon become bigger, and better, than even their creators could have predicted. They are sometimes the unlikeliest of stars, the unlikeliest of heroes, and yet their presence is often enough to enliven even the dullest episode. Sometimes it's a case of familiarity breeding fondness, or absence making the heart grow full of contempt for Executive Producers... or... er... something. Whatever it is, we become intrigued by these characters, be they a "Guest Star", "Special Guest Star" or "Dude #2," and we need to know all there is to know about them.

And sometimes, just sometimes, we get to.

And, better still, we sometimes get to in Buffy (I love it when I get to talk about Buffy. Can't wait till I write that article, "Buffy and the Buffy-ness of Buffy in Buffy.") Take the obvious case of Angel (David Boreanaz.) Though his character was originally -- allegedly -- only supposed to be around for three episodes of Buffy's Season 1, the beauty of the man and the mystery of his Cryptic Guy act soon got him not only a spot in the credits, but a legion of worshippers and now an eponymous show of his own. Vampire prince Spike (James Marsters) was introduced as The Big Bad in Buffy's Season 2, and after a fan-spurred long run of evil hijinx, he departed Sunnydale, vowing never to return. But in what many consider to be the best episode of Season 3, return he did, declaring himself "love's bitch" -- and man enough to admit it -- which led to a further appearance in Season 4, and, then, hey! It's Spike as a regular! And not always wearing the same clothes! Cool!

Mmm, Oz-alicious.

Oz (the ever-delightful Seth Green), was another Buffy character with a relatively small part who earned himself a place in those opening credits -- and in fans' hearts. He was introduced to the Buffy-verse slowly, back in Season 2, but with an obvious purpose. Over time he got a crush (on Willow), an affliction (the whole werewolf thing), a persona (Ironic Detachment Guy), and eventually, a full name. And in the meantime fans fell for him -- 'cause he fell in love with Willow, and anyone who loves Willow is a friend of ours. Just as fans should now love the adorable, yet suspicious, Tara (Amber Benson), Willow's new beau, who will hopefully be in the credits next season... assuming she doesn't turn out to be evil, get killed, or both (what was up with the spell-sand, Joss? What was up?) The munchable Riley (Marc Blucas) is another Love Interest(TM) to find himself with his name flashed up while Nerf Herder crashes out the Buffy theme... and in one of the recent season's cleverer episodes, so did that lovable rascal, Jonathon.

Jonathon (Danny Strong) is a character who belongs to that "unlikely star" category I started talking about earlier, but got sidetracked from with talk of Buffy (and yet I seem to have linked them together here. That's good, then. Everything's right on track.) Jonathon, the face of the everyloser, spent the majority of his Buffy screen time as the guy who always seemed to be hanging out wherever there was food, but finally got his own episode (the controversial "Earshot" -- still holder of the Best Last Line Ever award) in Season 3, after fan interest in the little guy was made evident. He later had a chance to shine when presenting the Class Protector Award to Buffy in "The Prom" (you had to have a heart of stone not to get teared up right about then), and the episode "Superstar" showed us all just how shallow and empty is a world in which we are the coolest living person ever (but, he had his own comic book! Like a Backstreet Boy or something... oh, wait, I get it now.)

Jonathan and food: constant companions.

While Jonathon is the most obvious case of random-extra-turned-key-supporting-role in Buffy, he is not the only side character who gained fan affection. What of Larry... gay Larry... dead gay Larry? Percy the Jock? Harmony the Vampire (nee Ditz)? And even prissy Wesley Wyndam-Price, Buffy's persnickety Watcher, is building a fanbase now that he has returned, and is no longer quite so Wesley-like. Which leads us back to talking about Angel, and thence to Angel, and thence to Forever Knight. (Hmm... a direct segue from Angel to Forever Knight? Just 'cause a vampire wanting to reclaim his humanity and pay for his crimes by protecting the innocent and driving around in a black convertible is a feature of both shows? What am I thinking?) Nick Knight (Geraint Wyn Davies) and Natalie Lambert (Catherine Disher) may have been the stars of the ill-treated series, but somewhere in the middle of the third (and final) season, along came Screed, and the fans found him good. He was a vampire from London (but completely bald -- not a bleached hair in sight), who fed from rats and made the good guys pay him for his help (seeing no comparison! Seeing no comparison!), and when Screed died (I hope I'm seeing no comparison!), there was great mourning among Forever Knight's loyal viewers everywhere. Fans of Screed call themselves the Ratpack, and that's great, 'cause it means I can go straight from here to...

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