Friday, August 01, 2008

My Weekend Crush

My Buffy love to start out the week naturally got me thinking about the rest of the Scooby Gang. And when I think of the Scoobies, I automatically think of Willow. Now, there's nothing particularly new about the smart, geeky gal as a character. She has been around forever. For reference please see Anne Shirley, Velma Dinkley, Daria Morgendorffer, et al. But what made Willow different was always Alyson Hannigan. Alyson brought brains, vulnerability and an unshakable likability to Willow. She was never just the smart girl. Or just the geeky girl. Or just the girl who had to be rescued. She was a complete person, like someone you might actually run into in the halls at school – well, you know, if you were really lucky.

As Willow made her transformation from shy nerd to shy witch to not-so-shy lesbian witch, what stayed consistent in Alyson's portrayal was her basic decency and outrageous adorableness. Even when she went all dark and veiny and I'm going to end the world as we know it, you still rooted for Willow because she was Willow. To take a character from the softer side of Sears to the dark side of the moon is no small feat. But we never gave up on her because we believed in Alyson. She rewarded our loyalty by creating one of the richest, most adored lesbian characters on television to date. See, nice gals can finish first, and so can the geeky ones. Happy weekend, all.

10 comments:

Barbara said...

I liked Willow, but was totally in love with Tara.

TheWeyrd1 said...

Alyson is the reason I occasionally watch "How I Met Your Mother", though admittedly Neal Patrick Harris does crack me up! I was working a lot of evenings for several years, so Buffy was not on my raydar (or gaydar) initially. But one night I fell asleep with the TV on and woke up at 3am to see Willow in bed with a woman (I think it was Kennedy?) and I thought I was still asleep dreaming...heh.

Unknown said...

Oh I loved dark Willow!

Fannie Wolfe said...

Willow! *Swoon*

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah... I'm right there with ya on the Willow love. I watched BTVS not for Buffy but for Alyson Hannigan and her portrayal of Willow (okay and maybe for Eliza Dushku as Faith and I'll admit I liked crazy Drusilla too... played to perfection by Juliet Landau), but mainly I watched BTVS for Willow.

Vale said...

Smart, cute at the start, really hot at the end, and a lesbian...Willow rocks. and Tara rocks too. and they rock each other's socks. and mine too LOL

Anonymous said...

I have this theory that Willow is the perfect girl. And then, you know, I remember that she's fictional and I become distressed at the trajectory of my life.

Ahh, Willow. I'm extra flamey for you.

Dru said...

Yay. Willow. :D

Alyson Hannigan is awesome. Good choice. :)

IndigoSunMoon said...

She is truly gorgeous! I love her on the show How I Met Your Mother!
Connie

Laura said...

"Alyson brought brains, vulnerability and an unshakable likability to Willow"

I totally agree with that statement and def. a nice choice for your weekend crush.

Can I suggest one? Renne O'Connor, please oh please