I'm not generalizing. I'm asking you a question. What would make Season 8 better for you? Because from what I can see you complain about it more than you praise it. That's not a knock against you, I wanna know what Joss and his writers could do that would make you enjoy it more. What's missing? Same question goes to other fans who aren't huge fans of Season 8.
You said that what I loathe is what "fans" hope for. Pretty general I think. I'm like the anti-fan... cool.
I'm gonna do a semi-rant about season 8, just for you my friend.
What I wanted from season 8 was the impossible.
I wanted so desperately to read this comic and believe I wasn't settling. I wanted to read it and be content but sadly it just can't happen. It's not Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8, and more and more I feel as though the people behind it are insulting my intelligence by pretending it is.
It's a comic, which is okay for some, but not me. I'm not a comic fan. I'm sure there's some great stuff out there and maybe I'd like it, but this is supposed to be Buffy and it doesn't work. I miss the characters, the dialogue, the rhythm of delivery the show had. The comic just can't emulate that.
I miss the budget, funny as that sounds. It seems like Joss has done a George Lucas. Freed from the restraints of television, Joss can do anything he likes in the comic format, and he does, and I often dislike it. Skinless supervillain Warren is lame. Giant Dawn is lame. Armoured slayer army is lame. Constantly flying and primary colour lighting throwing Willow is lame. I miss the core cast exchanging dialogue in the Library, not exchanging generic orders through headsets in a castle.
Season 8 seems to be following on from my least liked themes from season 7. Buffy's detatchment from her loved ones is rampant, sadly confirming that there was no emotional change in her at the end of season 7. Giles really has no place on Buffy anymore as his role of mentor is over; so now the shitty relationship between him and her continues. Slayer army takes too much focus from the other characters... I don't care about them at all, they should never be more than extras. Super grand scale war is upon them once more, signifying that the threat will inevitably get bigger each season and more time for character development will be lost (see Anya in season 7).
I started accepting the comic but the Buffy reunion thing killed it for me. Seeing the cast together just squashed any chances there were of me ever considering Season 8 as official. And the slim chance of a movie truely buries it. I'd honestly rather sit a discuss a movie that will never happen over the comic that is currently running.
The one thing I'd really like to see seaosn 8 address is just what the hell the conversation between Dawn and Joyce meant in CWDP. One of the most annoying plot holes in season 7. I'd rather it be addressed in a movie of course lol.