I liked Topher from the beginning for sheer entertainment value.
Topher has always struck me as being far superior to the countless 'friendly nerd' characters I've seen. (Don't get me wrong, I love the friendly nerds.) As witty as he has always been, there's always been strikingly unpleasant shades to his character, e.g. considerable self-absorption, seeing people as playthings. And yet, he is portrayed as an 'innocent', e.g. his birthday friend, 'man reactions'. I'm not surprised he's turned out to be one of the most fascinating characters, and his moral dilemma here doesn't feel forced at all. Props should also be given to Fran Kranz, who is able to pull off a character I would imagine would be very difficult to pull off.
how often do the ones with the senses of humor eventually come over to the good? (See Spike.)
Hmmm, that's very interesting. I think in both cases, the 'villains' who have potential for good, are people who are essentially always trying to keep up the act, if you will. Like Spike, Topher's reliance on sarcasm and mocking could be an expression of his need to keep people at a distance. Humour = depth in Joss-land?
no subject
Topher has always struck me as being far superior to the countless 'friendly nerd' characters I've seen. (Don't get me wrong, I love the friendly nerds.) As witty as he has always been, there's always been strikingly unpleasant shades to his character, e.g. considerable self-absorption, seeing people as playthings. And yet, he is portrayed as an 'innocent', e.g. his birthday friend, 'man reactions'. I'm not surprised he's turned out to be one of the most fascinating characters, and his moral dilemma here doesn't feel forced at all. Props should also be given to Fran Kranz, who is able to pull off a character I would imagine would be very difficult to pull off.
how often do the ones with the senses of humor eventually come over to the good? (See Spike.)
Hmmm, that's very interesting. I think in both cases, the 'villains' who have potential for good, are people who are essentially always trying to keep up the act, if you will. Like Spike, Topher's reliance on sarcasm and mocking could be an expression of his need to keep people at a distance. Humour = depth in Joss-land?