I feel like everyones opinion is valid but what I often notice in the Angel/Spike comparison is that like you people compare soulless Spike to soulfull Angel and not to Angelous, that just doesn’t make any sense and kind of seems like one is twisting things to support their opinion.
Angelous never loved Buffy and easily did more or would have done more/the same as soulless Spike. While Spike felt something for Buffy whatever we may call it but it was mentioned in the show that Spike is a rare vampire because he does have love in him. (Just like him still loving his mother after turning). The judge says Spike reeks of humanity while Angelous doesn’t. It’s pretty clear which soulless vampire is the bigger monster if you really want to make that comparisson.

I agree with you my favorites are Spuffy and Bangel. Some days I am for Angel and other days I am for Spike. They were both great in their own ways and had faults too.

You obviously didn’t watch the entire show because it was always mentioned that Spike’s viciousness came second only to Angel(us). So if you’re rooting for Bangel then you’re rooting for a bigger monster. Is that what Buffy deserves? And yes Spike did go for his soul intentionally. Like I said, you obviously didn’t pay close attention to the show. Angel only had a soul because it was forced on him. And instead of him staying and trying to fight for his relationship with Buffy he just took off and left her heartbroken. Spike on the other hand was totally disturbed over the way he tried to hurt her that he wanted that monster out of him so he could give her someone deserving of her love. To love someone as a soulless monster has to be real love, don’t you think?

if you look at the demographics… you will find that the overwhelming number of people that voted for buffy/spike are women… women have this “bad boy” thing that just defies reason… and then they wonder why so many of them wind up in relationships that are abusive… the spike buffy “romance” cheapened what buffy was at her core… not to mention it was unrealistic considering what spike was at his core… spike was an unrepentant monster… one that loved being a vicious monster… redemption for this character is just not possible… even in the realm of fantasy… and those women that are enamored with spike’s looks… love to point to the fact that spike fought to regain his soul… thus insuring his redemption… not even remotely true… spike fought to get that chip out of his head… restoring his soul was a twist/trick that was done to him… he had no idea that was going to be the result of his actions… and ftr… having a soul does not equal redemption… manson.. .dahmer… hitler… trump…. i get irritated every time i see someone write this “he fought to get his soul” nonsense… and i can’t even watch season 6… the spuffy disgusts me… when you look at the truly monstrous things spike has done… and reveled in…. this is a guy that tried to rape buffy… he tried to rape her… and fans just accept his redemption because he has good cheek bones?… this is a guy that reveled in killing a whole family and told dawn a story of how much he enjoyed hunting down the little girl child he missed… there are things you do that there is no coming back from… and spike has done hundreds of them… and enjoyed every single one of them… this is a guy that happily ate children… lots of them… i repeat… spuffy cheapened the character of buffy…

Thanks! Glad to stir up the fond memories. Now it is time for another re-watch!

Joss Whedon really does like to pull the rug out from under your feet a lot! But I was still hopeful for Willow and Oz. Sigh. And Doyle/Cordelia were amazing. Way too brief.