Darla's backstory (BtVS/Angel)

[RoJoHen]

One thing that always struck me as kind of odd about the Buffyverse was the character of Darla. You have this random school girl uniform vampire chick that dies right at the beginning of Buffy.

There is absolutely no indication that she would ever become so important later on (I mean, she DIED!).

So was Darla's backstory planned out from the start? Was there always some plan to bring her back at some point? Or did they just really like the actress and want to give her a reason to return to the show? I'm glad it happened because Darla is one of my favorite characters from either series, but I did think it was very odd when they decided to bring back what should have been a random forgettable villain.

 

[Hermiod]

^I doubt it was planned in such great detail. At most, I think the writers knew that Darla was Angel's sire.

Remember, though, at this point Angel wasn't a series regular. Once he became one, characters from his past would clearly become more important.

 

[RoJoHen]

Walmart is selling the Buffy seasons for $15 a piece, so I picked up the first one tonight, which is why I'm asking. I'm kind of sad that Darla is so pathetic in "Welcome to the Hellmouth," especially considering what we learn about her later. She must have been really out of practice.

 

[wamdue]

I kind wonder if bringing Darla back, was more about wanting to use Julie Benz again, more than anything else.

 

[Hermiod]

^It's strange, because from what I've heard she wasn't too popular with Alyson Hannigan for starters.

 

[RoJoHen]

Whatever the reason, I'm glad she returned. I love Darla.

 

[Daneel]

I think the original plan was to have her die in "The Harvest" and that would be the end of her. But I guess Joss saw some potential in her, which is why she was brought back for the episode "Angel", and played a pivotal role to boot.

As for when it was decided to resurrect her in "To Shanshu in L.A.", I couldn't really say, but I'd imagine it probably wasn't planned too far in advance... not before Angel premiered, at any rate.

I too am glad we got to see more of her beyond Buffy's pilot. I think she's a very interesting character, marvelously played by Julie Benz (who happens to be very easy on the eyes as well). This is the first I've heard of Alyson Hannigan having problems with her... where did you hear that?

 

[Hermiod]

^If I remember her words correctly, Hannigan said that Benz was just "mean" to her the whole time they worked together.

The only thing I can find on it now is this discussion on Whedonesque. The original article it links to is now a dead link, however.

 

[Aragorn]

So Buffy/Angel didn't do the CSI/NYPD Blue/Law & Order/Star Trek thing where actors keep coming back as different characters?

 

[Hermiod]

^Not in this case, no. Darla was always the Master's favourite and Angel's sire. They just elaborated on the role as she got more popular.

 

[Anwar]

Well originally in "Welcome to Hellmouth" Darla wasn't even the Master's favorite. It seems Luke was (which is why the Master chose him for the Harvest), Whedon then decided since she was still around to make her more important to the story and tied her to Angel.

Fun fact, Benz also auditioned for the role of Buffy.

Nice how someone who started with such a small role gained more importance as the universe went on and now she's one of the more successful actors from the series in later works (Dexter and everything after).

 

[Forbin]

I kind wonder if bringing Darla back, was more about wanting to use Julie Benz again, more than anything else.

So Buffy/Angel didn't do the CSI/NYPD Blue/Law & Order/Star Trek thing where actors keep coming back as different characters?

They did! (Mark Metcalf was, what, six different monsters?), just not Julie.

 

[Chekov's Phaser]

I kind wonder if bringing Darla back, was more about wanting to use Julie Benz again, more than anything else.

So Buffy/Angel didn't do the CSI/NYPD Blue/Law & Order/Star Trek thing where actors keep coming back as different characters?

They did! (Mark Metcalf was, what, six different monsters?), just not Julie.

I though Mark Metcalf just played The Master. You might be thinking of Brian Thompson. He seems to be ubiquitous in any Sci-Fi type show

 

[Ethros]

As for when it was decided to resurrect her in "To Shanshu in L.A.", I couldn't really say, but I'd imagine it probably wasn't planned too far in advance... not before Angel premiered, at any rate.

Probably planned through Season 1 anyways, given Darla's appearances in the flashbacks in the eps "The Prodigal" and "Five By Five", so new viewers would know who she was for her return in the season finale

 

[Forbin]

I kind wonder if bringing Darla back, was more about wanting to use Julie Benz again, more than anything else.

So Buffy/Angel didn't do the CSI/NYPD Blue/Law & Order/Star Trek thing where actors keep coming back as different characters?

They did! (Mark Metcalf was, what, six different monsters?), just not Julie.

I though Mark Metcalf just played The Master. You might be thinking of Brian Thompson. He seems to be ubiquitous in any Sci-Fi type show

My wife and I call Thompson "Jaw Boy," because we can recognize him in any monster or alien makeup by that noble square jaw of his. But he was only in the show twice - "Luke " in the pilot and "The Judge" later.

I swore Metcalf was in it multiple times as multiple monsters, but IMDB says he was the master only. Hm. Maybe I'm thinking of yet another guest artist.

 

[Ethros]

You're probably thinking of Camden Toy
http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Camden_Toy

 

[Lindley]

Probably planned through Season 1 anyways, given Darla's appearances in the flashbacks in the eps "The Prodigal" and "Five By Five", so new viewers would know who she was for her return in the season finale

Which they didn't do quite a good enough job of, IMO. I doubt I would have linked her to that vamp from Buffy season 1 if it hadn't been pointed out---at least, not on first viewing.

Same with Anne. They don't make it quite obvious enough that she's the same character as Chantelle/Lily, just a few years more grown up and borrowing Buffy's middle name.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ I don't know, I quite like it when the return of characters is subtly done. I prefer that to banging you over the head 'HEY, THIS CHARACTER APPEARED IN THE SHOW OR ITS SISTER SHOW SOME TIME AGO, REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THIS OR THAT?'

As regards the multiple actors thing, wasnt Mark Shephard in both series (and Firefly)?

 

[Michael Chris]

Mark Sheppard was only in Firefly. There were a few who were on three most notably Jonathan Woodward (The Vamp in Conversations with Dead People, Knox on Angel, and Tracy in The Message on Firefly).

 

[Ethros]

^ Mark Sheppard was never in Buffy or Angel, but there were a few other other actors to appear in all three though (Jonathan M. Woodward, Jeff Ricketts, Andy Umberger, Bob Fimiani and Carlos Jacott)