Post by stargazer1682 on Jan 22, 2019 14:25:19 GMT
Jan 22, 2019 11:27:41 GMT @deblovesbeccy said:
The main reason she wasn't involved in the climax of the story/season is because Charisma was pregnant in real life; so she was either still showing at that point, or possibly had just had the baby and was on maternity leave, but either way it would have been hard for them (though definitely not impossible) to have her actively involved in the plot. But that is why she's in the coma, always laying down or propped up, with the bombs strapped around her in the season finale.
It's also the decisive factor everything about that season; from the direction of the plot that season, to Charisma and Joss' falling out. Word has it that Joss has a very different vision for season 4, that would have had Cordelia, in fashion, as the big bad; and play out some long term story arch he had been planning. When Charisma found out she was pregnant, she didn't tell Joss and the other producers or writers right away, which she's said was because she was concerned how that would affect her role on the show. And when she finally did tell them, naturally a lot of the plans for the season had to be changed, especially on account of Joss' plans to make Cordelia the big bad, knowing that she'd be showing, they changed direction and brought about Jasmine, who could be played by someone else. Somewhere I've read an account, possibly directly from Joss, that Cordelia sleeping with Connor had still been part of the plan, but it was originally going to be later; and they had to move it up so they could do it before she started showing.
And then accord Charisma, the whole thing contributed to the falling out between her and Joss, where they had been close before, or at least on good terms; and having to change all of these carefully laid plans at the last minute lead to some bitter feelings for a time on Joss' part.
Also, going into season 5, they didn't bother telling Charisma that she wasn't coming back; and she learned it through a news report.
I don't know how far you've gotten into season 5, so:
When Cordelia does come back, Charisma had some reluctance, since she didn't want to do the episode just to be killed off; and she was very adamant that she'd only agree to come back if they guaranteed she not be killed off. And then of course, after they've agreed to all of this and she's signed the contract and they begin shooting, some writer or producer or someone comes to her trailer and tells her there's been a script change; and tada, she's being killed off - but, when she recounts this in the convention videos I've seen, she always qualifies that she was okay with the changes, because of how it was written, and that in typical Joss fashion it was written well enough to look past it. It's hard to say whether she genuinely felt that way it was dealt with and her character killed off was good enough to forgive them pulling a bait and switch; or if she's just saying that save face and not get back on Joss' bad side....
At the risk of contributing to gossip, the whole thing does make me wonder, considering the revelation that's since come to light by way of Joss' ex-wife about his alleged confession to her of having an affair with at least one actress from Buffy...