Nick Brendon on the Buffy S.8 Dander Relationship

[buffyfest]

Michelle posted this in the Xander thread, but since there is a question in there about the comics, I thought I'd bring our interview with Nick Brendon over in the comic area too:

buffyfest.blogspot.com/2010/05/buffyfest-interviews-nicholas-brendon.html

Nick Brendon! How fricken' rad?

-Tara

[The Girl In Question]

So even Nick Brandon is freaked out by Dander? Lol! The guy in the captain hammer shirt looks like my Motion Graphics/editing & film teacher...ew! Anyway, I'll have to tune in for Nick's episode

[deathisyourgift]

I agree with Nick, the fact that Dander is a serious ship in S8 is freaky, and does seem really pedophile-y because of Dawn's original relationship with Xan. What a great interview, thanks for posting (twice).
-Jen

[PJ]

I do too. it is a bit wrong if you think about it, like he said when Michelle joined the show she was 13, and he was 'techincally' 19. so it really is wrong.....

[buffyfan21]

I have to agree with our Nick Brendon. I go back in forth between being okay with it and not being okay with it, it just varies on the day. But then hearing the whole thing put in perspective like that, it does seem kinda wrong. It's just weird to look back at S5, see the brother/sister relationship they had then, and think that that now in S8, they are a couple. You can make the argument that Dawn is a grown woman now and has matured quite a bit, which I believe is true (even if she has been a bit whiny lately). And while it kinda makes sense on some level that an attraction would develop between them (the two "normal" people in the group finding each other), there is still no denying that this relationship spells rebound for Xander. He lost another woman he cared about when Renee died. Perhaps this thing with Dawn represents a "safe" choice for him. Either way, I fear that Dawn is going to get hurt and I don't want that for her. I guess we will just have to see how it plays out.

[rufio]

I don't think it's weird at all to be honest. I think it's actually quite fitting that Xander would end up with Dawn. She crushed on him earlier on & seeing as he has always had a thing for Summers women (joyce included)..and since buffy would never let him even get to first base-what's a guy to do??
And it is true that she's matured and a lot older than she was in season 5!

[Inappropriate Starches]

I tend to agree with him, but there are weird relationships in life that the people on the outside don't understand so maybe that's what they're like. I often feel like I'm reaching a bit, but I think my biggest concern is the lack of Anya mentions...

[sire]

I AGREE!!!
No mentions of Anya is weeeeird, Dander in theory is creepy but i actually think its one of the better written relationships in Buffy season 8. They're cute together! And Dawn is 18/19 now, Xander is only 24, its not THAT creepy. Its been pretty well established how Xander has been so blown away by what an awesome person Dawn has grown into ( season 7 episode 'Potential') I think its a great way to get Dawn more involved in the group.

[loveisabird]

i guess xander and dawn isnt creepy agewise. i find it gross that they're together after xander has witnessed her growing up from the age of 10 or whatever age he would of first met dawn.

[alex_krycek]

i originally thought that dander was a cute idea. but the more i think about it, the less comfortable i am with it. and hearing nick brendon's thoughts on it make it that much clear. it was a total brother-sister vibe they had. and i imagine if season 8 were on the tv screen, nick may have had to express quite a bit of nervousness around buffy when this ship came to be known.

[deathisyourgift]

Jun 1, 2010 11:30:15 GMT -5 alex_krycek said:

i originally thought that dander was a cute idea. but the more i think about it, the less comfortable i am with it. and hearing nick brendon's thoughts on it make it that much clear. it was a total brother-sister vibe they had. and i imagine if season 8 were on the tv screen, nick may have had to express quite a bit of nervousness around buffy when this ship came to be known.

Great point--you're exactly right, if this were live action it would be so weird to see them together. I think that if it were Nick Brendan kissing Michelle Tratchenberg people might respond differently to it, simply because (for me anyway) these actors so embody the characters for me that when I think of them portraying the S8 happenings, it feels different.

Anywho, I do also agree that there's been a serious lack of Anya-centered discussion, though Xan might not want to talk about her because it's too painful. I don't know...

...this is why I'm not a writer for the show

[rufio]

well there's a lot going on and i mean, if there is no reason to discuss anya-why would they? it'd be stupid just to mention her for the hell of it. although i do think a mention of anya when renee died would make sense- but i'm not worried about it. it's not like mentioning her name is gonna bring our beloved girl back :/
& not to be a bitch, but we can thank emma caulfield for anya's demise. she wanted to end the characters story when the show ended.


also, i'm sticking by my theory that the dander relationship progressed naturally.