Over the past few years I've been slowly rewatching the DCAU and the Whoniverse (Buffy Spoilers)

Starts and stops but it's fun to remember what I loved and hated (and the stuff I hated in the Whoniverse is plenty). But I realize I probably should NOT rewatch the Buffyverse anytime soon. My political opinions since the last time I've watched it have evolved so dramatically that I would be nowhere NEAR as charitable to the characters' behavior as I was when it was on the air.

Angel macking on both Buffy and Cordelia is pretty much equally as gross as Buffy and Spike. Just with fancier dressing. Angel literally had sex with Buffy on her sixteenth birthday. That is beyond disgusting and I can't believe I could have found it romantic before.

Also, Xander would definitely be someone I would hate the second time around. He's the quintessential "nice guy", who is creepy and possessive of Buffy in the early seasons, and whose casual cruelty and sexism is something he always gets a pass on for some reason. He evolved a bit in the last season but before that I think he is a big pile of ick.

Also Joss asking us to forgive Willow for what she did in season 6 is one redemption story too far. I'll give her a pass on Warren. Not her finest moment, but he was almost begging for it. But she killed Rack for seemingly no reason, and tried to destroy the world. Joss may love redemption stories but there are certain things you should just never forgive.

Looking back on it, Buffy definitely devolved into a selfish character that I no longer rooted for. I stopped thinking of her as one of the good guys in season six and that never changed. I hated her "I've been carrying you guys" speech when it aired. I definitely would not forgive her for it even a little bit if I saw it again.

Cordelia and Connor would probably anger me as much as any of the nastiest things from Game Of Thrones. I don't think the writers even quite realized the magnitude of how wrong what they portrayed Cordy doing to that poor kid was. It was just a plot twist to turn Angel against her, and it was completely inappropriate in a franchise supposedly aimed at teenagers.

Spike trying to rape Buffy is also something I wouldn't put up with now. Both because it is indefensible on Spike's end, and the producers trying to say he should be forgiven because he got is soul back is simplistic. Yeah, he's not technically the same guy anymore. But he's still played by James Marsters, he has all of Spike's memories, and he talks to Buffy exactly the same way. What exactly am I supposed to think? How am I supposed to make that leap? It is not fair to expect me to.

I think the thing I really resent most about the rape scene is because on some level it is asking me to think that Buffy should have seen this coming. And she should have. Spike's a psychopathic serial killer. She never should have hooked up with him in the first place. And yet, that is an absolutely terrible message to send to young women. That if you sleep with the wrong guy you may get punished for it, so don't be surprised. The show is asking us to defend Spike on some sick level and I would definitely refuse to do it now.

The thing I hated most about the entire franchise over the air (Angel trying to kill Wesley) is probably something that would anger me less today. Because looking back on it, compared to the other things I just mentioned, it was mild. Sure it hurt. But it was supposed to and didn't wind up sending a sucky message to the audience.

Maybe I wouldn't be as angry as I am now if the comics didn't suck so much, and ruined things even worse. But here we are.

For the record, the DCAU is just as fabulous the second time around (even if the Whoniverse is not). Just thought that beared mentioning.